mil 


mm\i\ 


The 

Lake 

Teachers 

;'  Library 

* 

*  * 

How  to  Teach  R 

eadmg  in  the 

Public  Schools, 

Clark     .      . 

$1.00 

The  Social  Spirit 

in  America, 

Henderson 

. 

1  50 

Elementary  Education,  Keith 

1.25 

The  Teaching  of 

Geography, 

Sutherland 

125 

The  Teacher,  Milner    . 

1.25 

€Ue  iGa&e  Cea$et$'  ICtbtar? 


The    Teacher 


by 

FLORENCE   MILNER 

// 
DETROIT  UNIVERSITY  SCHOOL 
DETROIT,  MICHIGAN 


•  .    :  •     ■ 


SCOTT,  FORESMAN  AND  COMPANY 

CHICAGO  NEW  YORK 


Copyright,   1912 

BY 

SCOTT,  FORESMAN  AND  COMPANY 


PREFACE 

In  the  following  pages  the  attempt  has  been  made  to 
look  at  things  connected  with  schools  as  they  are  and  to 
view  honestly  the  various  relations  that'  enter  into  a 
teacher's  life.  The  school  duties  and  the  associations 
which  result  naturally  from  them,  as  well  as  the  little  and 
larger  experiences  that  make-up  the  private  life,  have  been 
discussed.  In  considering  each  of  these  the  aim  has  been 
to  indicate  the  vital  problem  and  to  suggest,  especially  to 
the  inexperienced,  a  common  sense  solution. 

In  this  desire  to  be  helpfully  suggestive,  the  book  is 
essentially  practical.  It  is  not  made  up  of  vague  theories, 
but  contains  an  abundance  of  concrete  examples  of  just 
the  kind, of  experiences  that  arise  over  and  over  again  in 
every  school  room  from  kindergarten  to  college,  in  the 
country,  in  the  small  town,  and  in  the  city. 

The  author  has  tried  to  make  clear  the  spirit  which 
every  teacher  should  manifest  if  that  teacher  entertains 
any  hope  of  large  success  or  of  proving  a  workman  worthy 
of  his  hire. 

In  recognition  of  the  present  educational  unrest,  notice 
has  been  taken  of  the  most  important  attempts  at  advance 
through  special  schools  and  the  application  of  other  pro- 
gressive ideas.  This  has  been  done,  however,  always  with 
the  warning  that  the  sovereign  remedy  will  never  rest  upon 
any  particular  theory,  but  that  the  final  success  or  failure 
of  any  educational  effort  depends  ultimately  upon  the 
character,  training,  and  personality  of  the  individual 
teacher. 

267336 


I     .  ... 

.'  ■    '  ■  ,  •  •    ■.       .  •  • 


4  "-: :>  '■  PREFACE 

If  particular  emphasis  is  placed  upon  any  one  thing,  it 
is  upon  the  great  responsibility  of  the  teacher. 

The  book  is  mainly  a  book  of  suggestions — sometimes  by 
precise  directions,  sometimes  in  the  form  of  illustrations 
and  sometimes  by  the  way  of  statement  of  principles,  but 
it  strives  always  to  point  the  way  to  the  kind  of  life  and 
the  way  of  working  that  will  bring  the  largest  measure 
of  success  to  the  teacher  and  so  to  the  school. 

If  it  stirs  some  teachers  to  study  the  educational  situation 
more  closely,  and  at  the  same  time  helps  them  to  keener 
self-criticism,  to  closer  sympathy  with  children,  to  a  fuller 
appreciation  of  the  human  appeal  that  thrills  through 
every  school  day,  then  it  will  have  fulfilled  its  purpose. 

Florence  Milner. 

Detroit  University  School. 

Detroit,  Michigan. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I  Why  Does  One  Teach  ?......  7 

II     The  First  Day 20 

III     Life  Outside  of  School 32 

IV  Relation   to  Pupils     .......  46 

V     Relation  to  Associates 56 

VI     Relation  to  Parents         68 

VII     Personality  and  Poise =  77 

\VIII  Tact        ............  95 

IX  Discipline:   A  General  View     .      .      .      .  Ill 

X  Discipline  Specifically  Considered    .      .  125 

XI  The   Spirit   of  the  Recitation      .      .      .  143 

XII  Some  Technicalities  of  the  Recitation  165 

XIII     Examinations        180 

XIV     Integrity 196 

XV     School  Waste 224 

XVI  How     the     Schools     are     Eliminating 

Waste 237 

XVII     Special  Schools       . 254 

XVIII  A  Balance  Sheet     ........  272 

Index       ............  283 


CHAPTER  I 
WHY  DOES  ONE  TEACH? 

The  influences  that  have  obtained  in  recruiting  the  vast 
army  of  teachers  are  infinite  in  variety.  Some  have  taken  up 
the  work  with  definite  purpose,  some  are  teachers  by  acci- 
dent. A  large  number,  especially  among  the  women,  have 
drifted  into  the  ranks  with  no  very  definite  idea  as  to  how 
or  why  they  are  there  or  how  long  they  may  remain. 

But  no  matter  whence  these  teachers  come,  no  matter  why, 
they  should,  being  committed  to  the  profession,  consider 
carefully  what  it  has  to  offer  either  as  an  6ccupation  for  a 
few  years  or  for  a  life  work.  To  the  man,  the  situation  pre- 
sents one  problem ;  to  the  woman,  a  different  one  entirely. 

There  was  a  time  when  teaching  offered  to  the  young  man 
a  natural  stepping-stone  to  a  wider  or,  at  least,  a  different 
career.     If  he  expected  eventually  to  be  a  min- 
ister, doctor,  lawyer,  or  a  business  man,  two  or    J^eraCMenQ 
three  years  in  the  school-room  was  considered 
excellent  preparation,  and  not  a  waste  of  time.     Today  it 
is  necessary  for  a  young  man  to  select  his  chosen  profession 
early  and  to  enter  upon  it  as  soon  as  possible.     All  time 
spent  in  any  other  direction  is  deemed  worse  than  thrown 
away.     Competition  is  too  great  to  admit  of  any  but  the 
direct  road. 

This  condition  of  affairs  cuts  off  from  the  number  of 
school  men  many  naturally  brilliant  and  well  equipped, 
who,  in  former  times,  did  excellent  work  in  the  school-room 
for  short  periods. 

7 


8  THE  TEACHER 

Now  and  then  today  there  is  a  young  man  who  still  finds 
teaching  the  first  open  door  to  wider  activity  and  broader 
culture.  He  teaches  a  year  or  two,  saves  a  little  money, 
growing  a  little  bigger  each  month,  until  he  sees  other 
and  more  profitable  opportunity  for  his  increasing  powers 
opening  before  him.  This  young  man  does  not  have  much 
knowledge  of  pedagogy,  often  has  no  experience  at  all, 
but  he  brings  something  vital,  virile,  to  the  school-room 
which  more  than  balances  lack  in  technical  requirements. 
What  he  brings  counts  for  more  than  normal  school  train- 
ing, a  teacher's  diploma  from  college,  or  than  a  head  full 
of  books  on  psychology,  pedagogy,  child  study,  and  meth- 
ods of  discipline,  good  as  they  may  be  in  their  place. 

For  him  who  would  make  teaching  his  life  work,  there 
are  many  things  to  consider.  Small  salaries,  and  the  con- 
dition of  school  management  which  makes  tenure  of  posi- 
tion uncertain  and  not  always  dependent  upon  charac- 
ter of  service,  have  turned  a  large  and  ever  increasing 
number  toward  the  new  and  varied  openings  for  men  of 
force  and  ability.  These  conditions  inevitably  tend  toward 
lowering  the  percentage  of  excellence  among  the  lessening 
number  of  men  teachers. 

So  long  as  engineering  schools  cannot  supply  the  demands 
made  upon  them,  so  long  as  the  business  world  is  eager 
to  offer  bright,  educated  young  men  a  price  far  above  any- 
thing: school  boards  have  ever  considered  market  value  for 
such  material,  so  long  will  there  be  a  dearth  in  the  teaching 
ranks  of  such  men  as  are  absolutely  necessary  for  the  highest 
success  of  the  schools. 

How  potent  these  influences  have  been,  let  the  few  schools 
whose  administrations  are  willing  and  able  to  pay  worthy 
salaries  testify.    In  this  stampede  away  from  teaching,  they 


WHY  DOES  ONE  TEACH?  9 

find  it  difficult  to  fill  satisfactorily  even  the  few  positions 
which  they  have  to  offer. 

The  pendulum  is  bound  eventually  to  swing  the  other 
way.  This  army  of  fine  young  men  now  rushing  madly  into 
business  will  find  positions  overcrowded,  and  some  will  turn 
from  the  shattered  bubbles  marked  with  dollar  signs  to  the 
real  issues  of  life. 

Toward  the  same  end,  school  boards  are  waking  to  the 
fact  that  their  cities  cannot  afford  to  have  the  teaching 
turned  over  almost  entirely  to  women,  with  just  a  scatter- 
ing of  men,  too  few  of  whom  carry  into  the  school-room 
that  wide  view  of  life  which  every  teacher  should  possess. 
The}*  are  learning  that  they  must  make  it  worth  the  while 
of  the  finest  type  of  young  men  to  enter  upon  teaching 
as  a  life  profession. 

Now  and  then  there  is  still  a  young  man  stirred  by  deeper 
motives  than  the  piling  up  of  dollars,  or  the  winning  of 
political  or  other  fame,  who  sees  the  richness  of  life,  the 
fullness  of  experience,  the  breadth  of  vision  possible  to  the 
man  who  deals  with  human  souls.  Such  a  man  gladly  relin- 
quishes the  opportunities  of  so-called  world  success  and 
deliberately  selects  the  quiet  days  of  a  worthy  teacher. 

Some  man  who  has  lived  this  life  in  recent  years  should 
write  out  the  story  of  his  experiences,  should  present  in 
its  true  light  the  fullness  of  such  a  career.  Thomas  Arnold 
does  not  stand  alone  as  the  one  teacher  who  has  proved  the 
greatness  of  the  profession. 

For  women  the  question  is  markedly  different.     Not  many 
years  ago,  if  it  became  necessary  for  a  woman 
to  earn  her  own  living,  teaching  was  about  the    f^w'omen 
onlv   senteel  way  in  which  it  could  be  done. 
Today  this  is  all  changed.     Every  profession  is  practically 


10  THE  TEACHER 

open  to  her  if  she  can  demonstrate  her  fitness  for  the  occu- 
pation. She  is  not  yet  always  allowed  to  compete  on  equal 
footing  with  men,  and  she  is  rarely  paid  an  equal  amount 
for  the  same  labor,  but  these  conditions  are  inevitable  upon 
the  newness  of  things,  and  these  the  natural  law  of  evolu- 
tion and  the  better  equipment  of  women  will  remedy. 

Thanks  to  this  change  in  conditions,  a  woman  need  no 
longer  teach  to  live,  for  other  ways  are  open  to  her,  but, 
for  the  chosen  few,  there  still  remains  the  privilege  of 
living  to  teach. 

It  should  be  an  axiom  that  no  one  ought  to  remain  a  day 

in  the  school-room  unless  possessed  by  an  absorbing  interest 

in  teaching  and  in  life  with  young  people.  That 

Teachfng"1  ^oes  no^  impty  any  mawkish  sentimentality, 
but  a  vigorous,  wholesome,  natural  interest, — 
the  same  kind  of  interest  that  a  business  man  takes  in  his 
work,  an  artist  in  his  own  creations,  a  good  housekeeper 
in  the  perfection  of  domestic  appointments,  with  always  the 
deeper  absorption   that  close  human   relationships  inspire. 

To  the  individual  who  really  loves  his  work,  it  goes  with- 
out saying  that  this  interest  inheres.  It  is  not  necessary 
always  to  be  advertising  your  devotion  to  the  high  call- 
ing nor  does  it  demand  an  unwillingness  on  your  part  to 
be  interested  in  other  things.  It  is  no  disgrace  to  be  glad 
of  vacations  or  to  welcome  Friday  nights,  a  time  blessed 
even  to  the  faithful. 

Occasionally,  though,  there  is  a  teacher  who  takes  a 
different  attitude,  whose  devotion  amounts  to  an  obsession. 
One  Friday  night  a  group  of  teachers  had  gathered  in  the 
cloak-room  preparatory  to  the  home  going.  They  were 
wholesomely  glad  of  the  release,  and  plans  for  spending 
the  free  time  were  under  discussion,  when  another  teacher 
entering  the  room  exclaimed,  "How  I  dread  Friday  nights ! 


WHY  DOES  ONE  TEACH?  11 

Saturday's    and    Sundays    do    break    in    upon    the    school 
work  so." 

A  chorus  of  opposition,  led  by  the  strongest  and  best 
teacher  in  the  school,  greeted  her,  and  they  were  right  in 
their  disapproval. 

These  various  breaks  are  what  make  it  possible  for  anyone 
to  continue  long  in  the  business.  The  fact  that  at  intervals 
the  work  or  a  portion  of  it  comes  to  a  full  stop  and  can 
be  entirely  put  aside  for  a  time,  gives  the  needed  relief 
from  the  otherwise  too  intense  nervous  strain.  A  heavv  load 
can  be  carried  up  a  long,  steep  hill  if  the  burden  may  occa- 
sionally be  lifted  from  the  shoulder  and  a  breathing  time 
allowed  the  laborer.  For  this  reason  a  teacher  should  put 
aside  school  work  completely  and,  at  intervals,  seek  a  dif- 
ferent atmosphere,  different  people,  and  different  experi- 
ences. If  she  does  this,  she  will  return  to  the  school  with 
renewed  interest  and  enthusiasm. 

Be  interested  in  your  work, — one  must  be  to  succeed, — 
but  let  that  interest  be  normal  and  sane,  not  hysterical,  sen- 
timental, or  absorbing  to  the  exclusion  of  everything  else. 

Those  outside  the  pale  are  apt  to  look  upon  a  position 
within  it  as  a  sinecure.     The  hours  are  short,  usually  from 
half-past  eight  or  nine  in  the  morning  to  half- 
past  three  in  the  afternoon,  with  an  hour  or    ^n°durpay 
an  hour  and  a  half  at  noon.     Saturdays  and 
Sundays    are    free    days.       One    or    two    weeks'    vacation 
comes  at  Christmas,  another  week  in  the  spring,  with  nine 
or  more  long  ones  all  together  in  the  summer,  not  to  men- 
tion  various   holidays   furnished   by   the   government,   and 
other  special  dispensations. 

The  compensation  seems  good  in  comparison  with  other 
salaried  positions  for  women,  especially  when  the  short 
year  and  the  short  hours  are  considered.     The  pay  is  prac- 


12  THE  TEACHER 

tically  certain,  for  the  occasions  are  exceptional  when  the 
checks  of  a  school  board  are  not  honored. 

Salaries  are  sufficient  to  allow  teachers  to  be  fairly  well 
dressed,  to  live  comfortably,  and,  with  economy,  to  save  a 
little  money  for  summer  travel.  Wide  reading,  and  the 
habit  of  constant  alertness,  help  teachers  to  get  out  of 
travel  more  than  the  average  individual  discovers.  They 
are,  as  a  class,  interested  in  literary  and  artistic  matters 
and  very  little  escapes  their  quick,  trained  vision. 

To  a  person  of  scholarly  tastes,  the  life  is  especially 
attractive,  for  its  tendency  is  toward  intellectual  advance- 
ment.    The  teacher  who  succeeds  must  continue 

Life"601"31  ^°  ^e  more  or  less  a  student.  This  is  true,  not 
only  for  those  who  teach  in  high  schools  but 
for  grammar,  intermediate,  primary,  and  kindergarten 
grades.  The  study  necessary  is  not  only  that  which 
enables  a  teacher  to  keep  pace  with  certain  assigned  classes, 
for  the  teacher  who  is  content  with  this  will  soon  drop 
behind  in  the  race  and  then  wonder  at  the  cause  of  failure. 
The  mind  must  be  kept  alert, — somewhat  on  a  strain  as  it 
reaches  out  for  new  stimulus. 

The  intellectual  training  need  not  be,  really  should  not 
be,  always  directly  in  line  with  the  particular  branch  taught. 
There  is  no  knowledge,  no  matter  how  far  it  may  seem 
removed  from  any  possible  connection  with  school  work, 
which  may  not,  at  any  moment,  unexpectedly  become  of 
use.  Did  you  ever  learn  a  new  word  that  you  were  not  sur- 
prised at  your  later  frequent  encounters  with  it?  It 
is  not  likely  that  you  are  meeting  it  any  oftener  than  before, 
but  now  you  have  a  speaking  acquaintance  with  it,  while 
before  you  had  passed  it  by  unnoticed.  In  a  similar  manner, 
all  knowledge  immediately  goes  into  the  tool  chest  of  a 
live  workman. 


WHY  DOES  ONE  TEACH?  13 

This  need  for  study,  this  interest  in  study,  leads  teachers 
into  many  pleasant  hours.  Books  become  to  them  close 
personal  friends.  The  room  of  a  good  teacher  without 
books  is  an  anomaly ;  not  books  behind  glass  doors,  but 
books  on  the  table,  in  chairs,  possibly  on  the  floor,  but  always 
ready  to  hand.  Sometimes  they  will  be  for  serious  study, 
sometimes  a  volume  of  poems,  a  new  novel,  a  history, 
or  an  open  magazine.  The  books  in  the  room  of  a  live 
teacher  will  not  be  identical  from  month  to  month ;  in 
a  growing  garden  the  same  flowers  do  not  blossom  day  after 
day.  As  the  mind  grows  it  keeps  fairly  good  pace  with  the 
literary  world. 

In  these  days  a  teacher  must  have  some  knowledge  of 
art.     She  will  know  where  the  great  pictures  of  the  world 
are,   and  who   painted  them.      Inevitably   pic- 
tures will  find  their  way  into  her  school-room    culture 
and    into    the    room    which    she    calls    home. 
These  may  not  be   expensive  ones,  but  her  few  pictures 
always  have  a  meaning.     They  will  be  a  reproduction  of  a 
great  painting,  an  etching  by  an  artist  of  repute,  a  photo- 
graph of  historic  value  or  possessed  of  a  personal  interest, 
a  half-tone,  or  a  wood-cut  that  carries  back  of  it  a  definite 
thought  for  the  owner,  and  is  worth  more  in  culture  value, 
in  real  companionship,  than   any  number  of  meaningless 
though  costly  pictures. 

In  a  town  or  a  small  city  a  teacher  is  a  definite  part  of 
the  social  life  and  is  counted  upon  to  be  more  or  less  a 
leader.     This  is  especially  true  of  the  club  life  of  the  com- 
munity, as  well  as  of  other  public  activities. 
He  or  she  will  be  an  important  factor  in  most    position 
social  functions. 

In  a  large   city  the  situation   is  quite  different.      That 
teacher  is  doomed  to  disappointment  who  expects  anything 


14  THE  TEACHER 

in  the  way  of  general  social  recognition.  There  will  be 
no  end  of  interesting  people  to  know,  friends  to  be  made 
in  your  own  or  similar  activities ;  there  are  theatres,  con- 
certs, libraries,  and  all  such  places  within  reach.  Occa- 
sionally you  will  be  invited  to  dinner  with  the  family  of 
one  of  your  pupils,  but  only  occasionally,  and  then  it  will 
not  be  at  the  time  of  any  social  function.  This  is  true,  not 
because  the  social  set  consider  themselves  in  any  way  supe- 
rior, but  because  life  turns  naturally  in  circles,  and  those 
of  society  and  the  teaching  profession  do  not  intersect; 
rarely   are   they   tangent. 

There  is,  however,  a  less  rosy  view  to  be  taken  of  the 
profession  than  the  one  thus  far  presented,  and  it  behooves 
everyone  to  look  the  conditions  fairly  in  the 
fhe3work  eye>  ^°  know  what  must  be  met  of  discourage- 
ment and  discomfort. 

Against  the  short  hours  must  be  set  the  strain,  the  inten- 
sity, the  wear  and  tear  of  those  few  hours, — such  strain  as 
only  the  teacher  who  has  worked  well  can  understand 
at  all. 

To  keep  forty — or  whatever  the  assignment  may  be — 
wriggling,  twisting,  restless,  impulsive,  eager,  forceful  chil- 
dren occupied  to  their  final  gain  and  advancement ;  to  keep 
them  quiet  enough  so  that  the  main  business  of  the  school 
may  go  on,  and  yet  leave  to  them  a  modicum  of  individual 
freedom ;  to  watch  the  springing  of  each  mind  toward 
its  own  goal  and  to  help  it  on  its  way;  to  deal  justly,  with- 
out impatience,  without  irritation,  with  the  forty  all  together 
and  with  each  one  as  a  separate  human  being;  to  be  con- 
scious of  the  physical  condition  of  every  one ;  to  know  that 
each  little  body  is  growing  straight  and  true,  each  little 
mind  speeding  on  its  way  to  possible  greatness,  each  little 


WHY  DOES  ONE  TEACH?  15 

soul  expanding  in  a  free  and  inspiring  atmosphere, — to 
endure  all  this  strain  willingly,  even  joyously:  to  keep 
sweet  tempered  through  it  all ;  to  hold  one's  faith  and  to  be 
glad  each  morning  to  meet  the  task  again,  offers  no  small 
test  to  one's  powers. 

Knowing  this  demand,  who  would  consider  five  hours  of 
such  labor  for  five  days  in  the  week  a  sinecure? 

The  man  who  leisurely  shovels  sand  in  the  city  streets 
under  a  municipal  contractor  for  eight  hours  a  day  is  well 
paid  in  comparison  with  the  amount  doled  out  by  the 
same  municipality  to  the  men  and  women  who  take  the 
responsibility  of  the  city's  children.  Your  man  in  the 
ditch  gets  good  pay  for  giving  his  muscles  wholesome  exer- 
cise; your  teacher  puts  into  a  day's  work,  body,  mind, 
and  soul.  Humbly  following  the  greatest  of  teachers, 
she  knows  at  the  close  of  the  day  that  virtue  has  gone  out 
of  her. 

But  even  then  the  story  is  not  all  told.  When  the  door 
closes  upon  the  last  child  at  night,  to  the  casual  observer, 
the  day  is  at  an  end.  But  few  teachers  are  able  to  lock 
their  work  within  the  school-room.  They  may  go  home 
empty-handed,  no  papers  to  look  over,  no  lessons  to  pre- 
pare, no  reports  to  make  out,  but  the  man  or  woman  whose 
labor  is  with  pulsing  human  life  is  never  entirely  away 
from  that  work. 

Much  is  said  of  the  greatness  of  a  teacher's  labor,  of  the 
wonderful  satisfaction  that  comes  from  seeing  the  young 
people  develop  and  come  into  their  own  under 
the  wise  care  of  a  wise  teacher.  There  is  much  f^m^u^i'is" 
talk  of  the  devotion  of  these  same  pupils  to 
such  a  teacher  and  of  the  high  appreciation  given  to  her 
efforts. 


16  THE  TEACHER 

Let  anyone  who  enters  upon  the  teaching  profession  in 
the  hope  of  these  rewards  pause  before  it  is  too  late  to 
turn  aside,  for  nothing  but  disappointment  awaits  him. 

Two  things  are  as  sure  as  death,  and  the  honest  teacher 
must  face  them  with  an  attitude  of  grim  acceptance  of 
the  inevitable :  the  thoughtlessness  of  youth  and  its  supreme 
selfishness.  Expect  nothing  from  your  young  people  in 
the  way  of  thoughtful  consideration, — nothing  but  a  selfish 
seeking  of  their  own  ends,  and  you  will  save  yourself  much 
bitter  disappointment.  You  will  sometimes  receive  both 
consideration  and  prodigal  generosity,  but  only  occa- 
sionally,— just  often  enough  to  renew  your  courage. 

And  all  this  is  as  it  should  be.  Youth  is  and  ought  to 
be  egoistic.  With  a  clearness  of  vision  that  grows  dim  with 
years,  it  sees  the  exalted  purpose  of  its  own  life  and,  with 
eye  upon  the  shining  goal,  it  starts  in  a  direct  line  toward 
it,  looking  neither  to  right  nor  left,  unconsciously  trampling 
upon  the  keenest  feelings  of  those  who  are  trying  to  clear 
for  it  the  upward  path.  If  this  is  selfishness,  it  is  the  uncon- 
scious selfishness  that  forgets  everything  in  the  pursuit 
of  its  own  ideal.  This  ideal  may  change  from  day  to  day, 
may  not  always  be  worthy,  but  it  is  the  expression  of  the 
forceful  earnestness  without  which  the  world  would  stand 
still. 

The  teacher  who  makes  of  this  egoism  a  personal  matter, 
sees  in  it  an  intentional  slight,  will  suffer  more  than  one 
bad  half  hour.  The  child  is  much  of  the  time  utterly 
unconscious  of  the  teacher.  Like  other  things  which 
Providence  supplies,  the  teacher  is  there  ready  with  help 
when  needed,  forgotten  at  other  times. 

Neither  should  any  great  appreciation  be  expected 
from  parents.  This  does  come  occasionally,  and  when 
it    does    is    very    precious.      But   the    rank    and    file    of 


WHY  DOES  ONE  TEACH?  17 

patrons  of  a  school  march  on  in  unthinking  indifference  to 

what  the  body  of  earnest,  devoted  teachers  is  doing  for  their 

children. 

.  ..,  ,  Appreciation 

You  will  be  fortunate,  indeed,  if  you  always    from 

...         \  ,  ,         Parents 

escape  carping,  unjust  criticism  from  them,  for 

parents  are  selfish  in  the  interest  of  their  children.  They 
are  ready,  at  the  first  suggestion,  to  assume  that  some  in- 
justice, some  slight  has  been  offered  their  children,  while 
others,  seemingly  less  worth}7,  have  received  special  con- 
sideration. These  conclusions  they  reach  from  insufficient 
data.  The  instances  are  rare  when  parents  come  near 
enough  either  to  school  or  teacher  to  get  any  information 
first  hand.  No  matter  how  honest  a  child  may  intend  to  be, 
may  think  he  is,  the  reports  that  he  takes  home  are  always 
more  or  less  tinged  with  unconscious  egoism.  He  sees  his 
own  side  of  a  question  to  the  exclusion  of  everything  else. 

One  must  accept  the  fact  that,  in  comparison  with  the 
large  number  of  different  children  that  come  under  the 
influence  of  each  teacher,  the  percentage  of  those  who  ever 
give  any  expression  of  appreciation  of  what  has  been  done 
for  them,  or  even  feel  appreciation,  is  pitifully  small. 

For  two  reasons,  a  teacher  rarely  comes  into  much  real- 
ization of  this  lack  of  appreciation :   in  the  first  place,  she 
is  so  unselfish  that  any  thought  of  reward  or 
personal  consideration  is  usually  far  from  her   Gratitude' 
mind ;    in   the   second   place,   when    occasional 
recognitions  of  service  do  come,  they  are  so  precious  that 
she  hugs  them  tight.     Like  any   other  small  object  held 
close  to  the  eye,  they  obscure  everything  else  on  the  horizon, 
and  she  loses  sight  of  the  great  army  moving  on,  neglecting 
and  forgetting  her. 

Almost  never  do  children  or  young  people  realize  at  the 
time  the  value  of  the  personal  interest  of  their  teachers. 


18  THE  TEACHER 

Few  of  us  are  ever  able  to  judge  the  present  in  right  pro- 
portions. In  later  years  pleasant  echoes  do  come  out  of 
the  past.  Sometimes  it  is  a  book  sent  with  the  author's 
compliments  and  a  note  saying,  "This  is  your  book,  not 
mine,  for  you  made  me  what  I  am."  Sometimes  it  is  a  gift 
that  harks  back  to  school  days  in  remembrance  of  somf 
special  taste  of  the  teacher;  sometimes,  a  card  of  greeting 
to  show  that  memory  still  holds  a  little  spot  for  you. 

Is  the  teacher's  life  worth  while  even  though  the  vast 
army  surges  by  in  utter  f orgetf ulness  ? 

The  true  teacher  knows  that  it  is;  even  when  she  is  dis- 
regarded and  forgotten,  she  is  sure  that  her  work  is  vital 
and  will  produce  results  to  the  world's  better- 
Pay,  lt  ment.  These  results  are  not  immediately  mani- 
fest but  no  teacher  can  measure  the  extent  of 
daily  influence.  Often  the  feeling  will  come  that  her  labor 
is  vain,  for  she  must  work  with  hundreds  and  see  them  go 
out  from  the  school-room  in  apparent  forgetfulness  of  her 
and  of  all  she  has  tried  to  do  for  them. 

But  the  work  of  a  good  teacher  is  permanent,  and  some 
time,  somewhere,  in  the  world  it  will  bear  fruit,  although 
she  may  never  know  it.  After  all,  it  is  the  work  that 
counts  and  not  the  worker. 

The  demands  made  upon  a  worthy  teacher  are  tremendous. 
When  they  are  held  up  one  by  one  and  considered  calmly, 
they  are  appalling.  Yet  there  is  some  subtle  charm  in  the 
occupation  that  keeps  joyously  and  enthusiastically  at  the 
work  those  born  to  the  calling. 

The  mere  living  with  young  people  day  after  day  is  a 
great  privilege.  He  who  does  this  cannot  grow  morbid ; 
interest  in  life  cannot  wane  when  their  quick  wit,  their 
intense  enthusiasm,  their  ready  appreciation  of  humorous 
situations  lighten  the  hours.     Just  as  in  a  well  constructed 


WHY  DOES  ONE  TEACH?  19 

drama,  the  humorous  situations  are  introduced  to  relieve 
the  tension,  so  a  teacher's  days  are  lightened  by  the  good 
spirits,  the  good  fellowship  of  the  young  people. 

The  days  are  filled  with  mingled  work,  play,  study,  laugh- 
ter, tears,  joys,  sorrows,  victories,  disappointments,  heart- 
aches, and  happiness.  One  must  be  patient  with  the  dull, 
appreciative  of  honest  endeavor,  sensitive  to  the  needs  of 
every  individual,  gentle,  tender,  sympathetic,  and  yet,  when 
necessary,  firm  as  the  rock-ribbed  hills. 

Technically,  the  demands  upon  one  adopting  the  profes- 
sion are  not  great.  But  keeping  school  is  one  thing ;  teach- 
ing school,  another.  It  is  possible  to  keep  school  and  not 
lose  your  position.  To  hear  classes  and  earn  a  living  is  a 
simple  matter,  but  that  is  not  entering  upon  the  pro- 
fession of  teaching.  In  fact,  the  same  thing  is  true  here 
as  in  every  other  line  of  work ;  if  one  is  willing  to  be  a  time- 
server,  he  can  get  along,  for  the  public  is  long-suffering, 
especially  so  in  its  endurance  of  poor  teaching. 

There  is  constant  discussion  going  on  as  to  the  difficulty 
of  obtaining  positions,  but  there  is  also  a  constant  search 
for  competent  persons  for  all  kinds  of  positions.  The 
market  is  overstocked  with  people  who  will  "just  do,"  but 
the  men  and  women  who  fill  positions  absolutely  full  are  few 
and  far  between.  Become  one  of  these  and  you  will  never 
have  to  make  application  to  school  boards  or  register  in 
teachers'  agencies.     Good  positions  will  seek  you. 


CHAPTER  II 
THE  FIRST  DAY 

Whether  a  teacher  stands  for  the  first  time  before  any 
school,  or  whether  it  is  the  first  day  in  a  new  position,  the 
situation  is  certainly  a  most  critical  one.  The  conditions 
are  new,  the  children  are  strangers,  and  the  teacher  all 
untried  in  this  different  relation. 

No  audience  is  more  critical  than  a  new  school  on  the 
first  day ;  no  eyes  ever  look  with  keener  gaze  than  the  forty 
_    .  or  more  pairs  then  focused  upon  the  teacher. 

Trying  ,r  t  r 

Out  a  If  there  is  a  weak  spot  in  the  armor,  brown  or 

blue  or  gray  eyes  will  search  it  out ;  if  the 
teacher  reveals  but  one  quiver  of  hesitation,  some  one  in 
the  battalion  will  discover  it  and  the  victory  that  might  have 
been  won  at  first  is  either  lost  forever  or  delayed  for  settle- 
ment after  many  skirmishes. 

The  school  has  the  advantage  of  the  new  teacher,  for  it 
is  on  familiar  ground ;  it  is  a  unit  and  while  it  may  be  in 
the  attitude  of  submitting  willingly  to  the  one  who  shows 
herself  master  of  the  situation,  the  new  teacher  must  prove 
her  claim  to  that  mastery. 

It  would  be  hard  to  say  why  this  is  so.  The  situation 
is  an  unconscious  one  on  the  part  both  of  the  school  as  a 
whole  and  the  individuals  composing  it,  but  the  fact  remains 
that  no  matter  how  well  disciplined  the  class  may  be,  there 
will  be  some  members  of  it  who  will  put  the  new  teacher  to 
the  test. 

The  outside  armor  which  should  offer  invulnerable  resist- 

20 


THE  FIRST  DAY  21 

ance  is  personal  appearance.    Never  can  this  be  disregarded 
or  treated  lightly.    Like  many  other  things  in  life,  if  right, 
it    sinks    immediately    into    f orgetf ulness ;    if 
wrong,  there  is  no  estimating  the  extent  of  its    Appearance 
harmful  influence. 

If  every  detail  of  a  teacher's  dress  and  person  is  cor- 
rect, then  she  can  at  once  forget  it  all  and  give  her  attention 
to  the  more  important  matters ;  if  wrong,  there  is  the  con- 
stant, nagging  irritation  which  she  cannot  escape,  and 
ought  not  to  escape,  and  which  is  bound  to  weaken  her  power 
in  the  school-room.  So  important  is  the  matter  that  it 
demands  discussion  in  detail. 

There  is  a  large  class  of  teachers  who  have  learned  the 
power  that  lies  in  being  well  groomed,  well  put  up,  and, 
fortunately,  this  class  is  constantly  increasing.  There  still 
remains,  however,  altogether  too  large  a  number  who  seem 
to  have  thrown  themselves  together  almost  any  way,  catch- 
ing up  whatever  is  within  reach  in  the  shape  of  clothes  and 
tossing  them  on. 

The  care  of  the  hair  is  also  of  great  importance.  It 
should  be  arranged  consistently  for  the  day's  work.  It  is 
always  good  sense  to  keep  near  enough  to  the  prevailing 
style  not  to  appear  eccentric,  but  the  school-room  is  not  the 
place  to  display  the  latest  effects  in  elaborate  use  of  puffs, 
braids,  pompadours,  and  curls.  The  hair  should  be  dressed 
compactly  to  endure  for  the  day  and  as  stylishly  as  may 
suit  the  individual  without  being  extreme.  Use  such  combs 
as  are  necessary  to  keep  the  hair  in  place,  but  never  turn 
the  head  into  a  cushion  for  holding  unnecessary  celluloid 
combs,  pins,  or  cheap,  useless  ornaments.  Senseless  so-called 
decorations  are  out  of  place  in  a  business  toilet. 

The  number  of  black-rimmed,  ragged,  unkempt  index 
finger-nails  that  point  the  way  of  learning  on  reader,  arith- 


22  THE  TEACHER 

metic,  and  geography  makes  it  imperative  to  say  a  word 
about  the  care  of  the  nails.  It  takes  time  to  keep  the  nails 
in  proper  condition,  but  that  time  must  be  found  even  if  it 
comes  off  the  extra  forty  morning  winks. 

One  is  almost  ashamed  to  mention  the  care  of  the  teeth, 
but  observation  proves  that  it  is  necessary.  A  teacher  has 
to  talk  with  the  eyes  of  the  children  upon  her.  If  any 
defect  is  visible,  their  keen  vision  will  discover  it  and  fasten 
their  gaze  and  their  memory  upon  it. 

When  it  comes  to  clothes,  a  volume  might  be  written  on 
what  to  wear  and  what  not  to  wear.  In  proof  of  this,  look 
critically  at  the  mass  of  women  in  attendance 
Clothes  at  any  state  association.    Some  strange  appari- 

tions will  cross  the  vision  of  such  an  observer. 

The  greatest  danger  lies  in  the  attempt  to  imitate  in 
cheap  material,  prevailing  styles  that,  when  worked  out  by 
an  artist  in  expensive  material,  are  a  success.  The  poor 
imitation  is  always  a  dismal  failure. 

Clothes  do  not  have  to  be  expensive  to  be  appropriate 
or  in  good  taste,  but  they  must  be  fitted  to  the  occasion 
and  consistent  with  the  position  of  the  wearer.  The  woman 
who  walks  to  her  work  or  rides  in  crowded  street  cars 
could  never  be  considered  well  dressed  in  the  kind  of  clothes 
that  are  entirely  appropriate  for  the  woman  who  has  her 
own  automobile. 

A  toilet  must  be  in  keeping  with  itself,  composed  of  gar- 
ments that  belong  together.  In  defiance  of  this  principle, 
a  young  woman  appeared  at  a  state  meeting  wearing  with 
a  blue  skirt  a  green  waist  trimmed  with  soiled  white  lace. 
Her  hat  was  very  cheap  black  velvet,  much  befeathered  and 
jetted.  To  this  was  added  a  set  of  brown  furs,  a  cheap 
imitation  of  something  expensive,  while  over  her  arm  she 


THE  FIRST  DAY  23 

carried  a  gray  coat,  badly  soiled,  which  evidently  had  not 
been  pressed  after  frequent  drenchings. 

At  the  same  meeting  was  a  very  large  black  hat  with 
dingy  white  rim-lining.  Piled  on  top  were  flowers,  a  big 
bow  of  red  ribbon,  bunches  of  cherries,  and  a  large  gilt 
buckle,  badly  tarnished.  The  combination  might  have  been 
possible  in  the  hands  of  a  French  milliner  in  return  for 
the  large  sum  that  she  would  have  charged,  but,  even 
then,  it  would  have  been  so  startling  as  to  be  appropriate 
only  for  occasional  wear  by  the  woman  possessed  of  many 
hats  and  who  sought  unusual  effects.  It  was  utterly 
outside  the  power  of  any  milliner  whom  a  school  teacher 
could  afford  to  patronize. 

These  may  sound  like  extreme  cases,  but  they  are  two  of 
many  equally  bad  that  graced  the  same  occasion.  Moreover, 
the  description  is  not  given  from  memory,  but  from  notes 
actually  taken  with  the  original  of  the  pictures  in  sight. 

In  contrast  to  these,  at  the  same  meeting,  there  walked 
up  the  aisle  a  young  woman  clad  in  a  well-fitted  tailored 
suit  of  rough  brown  cloth.  She  wore  a  plain  brown  hat  in 
good  style  and  with  the  simplest  of  trimming,  and  a  set 
of  marten  furs  that  were  what  they  pretended  to  be.  The 
entire  costume  was  simple  in  the  extreme,  but  beyond  criti- 
cism in  every  detail.  Its  very  simplicity  and  the  enduring 
quality  of  the  material  would  leave  the  costume  looking 
about  as  well  when  it  was  laid  aside  in  the  spring  as  it 
did  in  the  middle  of  the  winter,  while  the  others  described 
were  tumbled  and  shabby  with  very  little  wear. 

As  a  teacher  cannot  afford  an  extensive  wardrobe,  her 
few  clothes  should  be  selected  with  reference  to  the  kind 
of  wear  to  which  they  must  be  subjected. 

The  clothes  that  are  worn  in  the  school-room  should  be 
bought  for  that  purpose.     Dresses  that  are  past  wear  for 


24  THE  TEACHER 

other  occasions  are  too  often  considered  good  enough  to 
work  in.  No  mistake  in  the  toilet  could  be  worse.  It  were 
far  better  to  appear  at  an  afternoon  tea  in  a  fresh  shirt- 
waist and  a  well  pressed  skirt  than  to  wear  in  the  school- 
room a  dilapidated  gown  that,  in  its  freshness,  was  appro- 
priate for  the  former  function.  School  clothes  should  be 
compact  and  of  such  material  as  will  stand  the  wear  with- 
out becoming  mussed  and  shabby.  They  should  be  as  good 
style  of  their  kind  as  those  bought  for  other  purposes. 

It  is  inevitable  that  a  teacher  must  wear  about  the  same 
clothes  day  after  day,  but  she  will  find  it  profitable  at  times 
to  appear  in  something  quite  different  from  her  every- 
day gown.  Once  in  a  while  she  should  "dress  up"  both  for 
her  sake  and  for  the  children's.  The  dressing  up  should  not 
consist  in  putting  on  a  piece  of  dejected  finery  or  an  elabo- 
rate dress  that  has  seen  better  days.  In  summer,  a  pretty 
muslin  gown  will  be  a  relief  from  the  sterner  tailored  cos- 
tume ;  in  winter,  an  occasional  appearance  in  her  best  suit 
will  have  its  effect. 

Think  of  the  warm  summer  day  when  that  young, 
attractive  teacher,  your  special  admiration,  returned  in  the 
afternoon  wearing  a  rose-sprinkled  muslin  dress  which  made 
her  doubly  beautiful.  No  wish  but  to  do  her  bidding  found 
lodgment  in  the  breast  of  any  child  that  afternoon. 

There    are    teachers    possessed    of    so    little    taste    as    to 
wear  needless  jewelry.    If  a  woman  in  the  school-room  wears 
the  right  costumes,  those  costumes   will  auto- 
Jeweiry  matically  settle  the  jewelry  question,  for  they 

permit  nothing  in  the  shape  of  needless  orna- 
ments. Everything  must  have  a  use  and  then  it  may  be  as 
fine  as  need  be. 

Having  selected  the  right  clothes,  it  becomes  the  next 
duty   to  keep   them  in   perfect   order.      The   demands   for 


THE  FIRST  DAY  25 

■ 

perfection  in  every  detail  grow  more  imperative  each  day. 
No  single  spot  should  be  visible  upon  waist  or  skirt ;  collars 
must  be  always  fresh ;  there  must  be  no  hiatus 
at  the  belt  line  glaringly  spanned  by  glittering    cfothes 
safety-pin    which    belt    awry    fails    to    cover. 
Hooks  and  eyes  must  be  invisible  but  efficient,  and  living  in 
harmony?  buttons   and  button-holes   well  matched   and   on 
good  terms.     Fringe  is  not  an  accepted  ornament  for  the 
bottom  of  a  skirt.     A  woman  may  go  hungry  if  need  be, 
but  she  must  save  money  enough  to  pay  for  all  the  pressing 
and  cleaning  necessary  to  keep  the  fresh  look  upon  a  worn 
suit. 

This  may  sound  like  an  elaborate  and  needless  discussion 
of  a  trivial  subject.  If  it  seems  so,  hark  back  to  your 
own  school  days  and  recall  the  tumbled,  untidy  look  of 
some  particular  teacher,  and  remember  the  effect  upon  your 
own  youthful  mind. 

We  are  inclined  to  think  the  question  of  clothes  a  purely 
feminine  one,  but  masculine  attire  demands  equally  careful 
attention. 

To  be  sure,  the  consideration  in  this  case  is  somewhat 
different,  the  points  less   obvious  to   the   careless,   but  the 
subject  is  equally  important.     Here  it  becomes 
a  question  of  the  cut  of  clothes  and  their  tex-    fh^Man"9 
ture,  as  well  as  attention  to  smallest  detail.  The 
effect  of  a  well  tailored  suit  can  be  spoiled  by  a  collar  too 
loose,  too  high,  or  too  low,  and  held  together  by  a  soiled, 
cheap  necktie  all  wrong  in  color. 

Immaculate  linen,  perfectly  brushed  clothes,  free  from 
spots,  and  clean  polished  shoes,  cannot  be  considered  lux- 
uries, but  necessities.  Clothes  must  show  no  persistent 
wrinkles,  no  weather-roughened  texture,  but  must  be  fre- 
quently pressed  to  an  appearance  of  newness. 


26  THE  TEACHER 

No  matter  how  inexpensive  a  man's  clothes,  he  must,  in 
these  days,  have  the  unmistakable  appearance  of  being  well 
groomed.  If  possible,  the  demands  upon  a  man  in  this 
direction  are  even  greater  than  upon  a  woman. 

When  the  external  armor  is  right,  it  can  be  immediately 
forgotten.     But  there  are  other  things  of  equally   great 
importance.     One  of  these  was  brought  strik- 
CarNage  mgty   to   the   attention   of   a    certain   faculty. 

There  was  placed  in  charge  of  this  school  a 
woman  of  unusually  strong  personality.  Her  carriage  and 
manner  were  beyond  reproach  and  both  entirely  devoid  of 
affectation.  For  the  first  time  the  teaching  force  realized 
the  difference  between  propelling  the  body  forward  for  the 
purpose  of  getting  from  place  to  place  and  really  walk- 
ing. This  woman  walked.  Since  that  day  she  has  been 
the  standard  by  which,  in  this  particular,  all  others  have 
been  measured,  and  very  few  have  approached  it. 

The  American  woman  of  today  who  walks  well  is  the 
exception.  It  is  impossible  to  give  directions  or  to  offer 
specific  criticism.  Each  one  must  observe  for  herself,  keep 
muscles  well  and  evenly  trained,  and  avoid  seeming  con- 
sciousness in  all  things.  All  that  anyone  but  yourself  can 
do  is  to  emphasize  the  importance  of  walking  well ;  each 
individual  must  studv  the  matter  and  strive  to  correct  faults 
in  carriage. 

The  importance  of  the  voice  cannot  be  overestimated.  The 
English  have  much  to  say  of  the  strident,  nasal  tones  of  the 
Americans.     This  criticism  is  all  too  just,  espe- 
Voice  cially  of  the  woman.     Any  teacher  of  success- 

ful experience  knows  the  power  that  lies  in  well 
modulated  tones.  The  low  voice  is  the  voice  of  influence. 
Many  a  command  or  direction,  in  itself  wise,  just,  and 
necessary,  has  failed  of  obedience  because  of  the  quality  of 


THE  FIRST  DAY  Ti 

voice  in  which  it  was  delivered.  The  teacher  who  has 
to  depend  upon  shouting  makes  clear  her  confession  of 
weakness. 

The  voice  should  be  trained  to  carrying  power  without 
the  necessity  of  loud  speaking.  By  placing  it  rightly  in  the 
throat,  the  pupils  on  the  back  seat  can  be  reached  with  per- 
fect ease  in  a  low  conversational  tone.  Practice  with  watch- 
ful ear  will  accomplish  this. 

Avoid  a  droning  monotone.  Many  a  class  has  been 
lulled  into  inanition  by  the  unvarying  quality  of  a  teacher's 
voice. 

The  use  of  a  telephone  will  furnish  a  good  test  of  voice 
quality.  Whoever  can  talk  through  the  instrument  in  a 
low,  unstrained,  natural  tone  usually  has  the  desirable  pitch 
and  power.  Whoever  finds  herself  inclined  to  shout  and  to 
raise  the  voice  to  unnatural  key,  has  need  to  correct  many 
faults  in  manner  of  speaking. 

Distinct  enunciation  must  also  be  cultivated.  The  pur- 
pose of  speech  is  to  convey  your  thought  to  your  hearers ; 
if  articulation  is  indistinct,  if  words  are  mumbled,  and  not 
allowed  to  pass  beyond  half-closed  teeth,  then  the  pur- 
poses of  speech  are  defeated.  In  striving  for  clear  enun- 
ciation the  precise,  school  teacher,  painstaking  picking  out 
of  every  sound  should  be  avoided. 

Rightly  equipped,  the  new  teacher  can  immediately  for- 
get herself  and  give  her  attention  to  the  pupils  before  her. 
By  her  correct  appearance  and  manner,  she  has  doubtless 
already  won   favorable  consideration,  and  the    Accept 
boys  and  girls  are  in  a  mood  to  accept  her    conditions 
pleasantly.  at  First 

Possibly  most  of  the  class  have  been  together  the  year 
before.  They  are  familiar  with  the  organization  of  the 
school  and  with  its  routine.     If  the  room  is  a  part  of  a 


28  THE  TEACHER 

large  school,  there  exists  a  definite  system  under  which  the 
children  are  accustomed  to  work.  If  this  is  true,  the 
routine  can  be  trusted  to  move  on  without  much  interference 
from  the  teacher.  She  may  like  it  or  she  may  not,  but  for 
the  first  week,  at  least,  it  is  the  part  of  wisdom  to  watch  the 
machinery  work,  observing  carefully  but  keeping  hands  off. 

The  inexperienced  teacher  has  more  to  learn  of  organiza- 
tion than  she  has  to  offer.  In  this  particular  it  behooves 
her  to  be  very  humble  until  she  fully  grasps  the  situation 
and  accumulates  a  little  practical  knowledge.  Her  head  may 
be  filled  with  any  amount  of  psychology,  pedagogy,  and 
book  wisdom  on  child  study,  but  there  is  a  strange  per- 
versity in  the  human  race  which  catches  many  a  cog  in 
these  smooth  running  theoretical  machines.  All  this 
knowledge  will  some  time  be  very  useful,  an  excellent  foun- 
dation upon  which  to  build  efficient  dealings  with  young 
people,  but  it  cannot  be  brought  into  the  school-room  and 
be  made  to  work  according  to  the  book  the  first  day. 

The  first  morning  the  children  are  all  strangers,  their 
names  all  unknown.  By  night,  many  of  them  should  be 
familiar  as  individuals  and  the  teacher  able 
Names  to  call  more  than  one  by  name.     It  is  far  more 

effective  to  call  John  or  Maud  or  Charles  or 
Jennie  than  vaguely  to  designate  the  individual  by  locality 
or  some  other  primitive  method. 

A  room  chart  with  the  full  name  of  every  pupil  in  proper 
place  should  be  about  the  first  thing  made  ready.  One 
by  one  boy  or  girl  will  attract  attention  and  the  oppor- 
tunity should  not  be  allowed  to  pass  without  fixing  the  name. 
At  first  it  will  be  easy  to  remember  these  when  the  pupil 
is  in  his  own  seat,  but  it  will  take  some  effort  to  connect  name 
and  pupil  out  of  that  position.  But  conscious  endeavor 
should  be  put  forth  in  this  direction  and  the  teacher  should 


THE  FIRST  DAY  29 

train  herself  to  call  everyone  by  name  as  soon  as  possible. 
There  is  an  element  of  power  in  being  able  to  do  this  easily. 

In  the  grades,  the  custom  is  universal  of  calling  children 
by  their  first  names.  In  high  schools  that  is  sometimes 
done.  In  certain  schools  the  young  people  are  addressed 
as  Mr.  and  Miss,  while  in  others  the  boys  are  called  by 
their  surnames  only. 

There  is  something  to  be  said  for  each  method  according 
to  the  school.  To  a  large  number,  however,  it  seems  an 
affectation  to  address  the  ninth  year  boy  in  knickerbockers 
as  "Mr."  It  certainly  strikes  him  so  at  first.  Probably  the 
better  plan  is  to  use  first  names.  In  this,  as  in  every- 
thing else,  common  sense  should  be  exercised.  It  some- 
times happens  that  there  will  be  in  a  high  school  a  young 
man  or  woman  of  greater  maturity  than  the  average.  If 
that  person  were  met  outside,  the  Mr.  or  Miss  would 
naturally  be  used.  There  is  every  reason  for  doing  the 
same  thing  in  school. 

The  first  day  is  necessarily  one  of  strain  and  excitement. 
At  night  its  events  should  be  passed  in  critical  review  and 
this  criticism  should  be  entirely  of  one's  self. 
It  is  well   early  to   form  the  habit  of  judg-    frlticism 
ing    results.     At    the    close    of   the    first    day 
every  teacher  should  have  at  least  an  opinion  as  to  how 
matters  have  gone,  be  able  to  isolate  mistakes,  and  to  seek 
out  a  way  to  remedy  them.     That  teacher  who  comes  to 
the  end  of  the  first  day  and  fails  to  see  some  things  that 
she  has  done  wrong  probably  has  done  very  few  things 
as  they  should  be  done.     If  you  know  you  have  made  mis- 
takes, then  there  is  hope ;   if  you  see  things  that  make  you 
wish  it  were  morning  so  you  could  make  them  go  better 
another  day,  you  will  probably  eventually  make  a  success. 

Again,  that  individual  who  comes  to  the  close  of  the  first 


30  THE  TEACHER 

day  and  feels  that  the  work  is  very  easy,  that  the  position 
is  going  to  make  very  few  demands,  is,  without  doubt,  hope- 
lessly blind,  has  not  in  the  smallest  degree  grasped  the 
situation. 

A  man  was  once  appointed  principal  of  a  large  high 
school.  The  one  who  had  held  the  place  for  years  before 
him  had  broken  down  under  the  strain  of  the  heavy  work, 
the  demand  made  upon  his  personal  interest,  and  the  respon- 
sibilities that  were  overwhelming.  The  new  principal 
remarked,  early  in  his  career,  that  he  could  not  under- 
stand why  anyone  could  consider  the  position  hard.  He 
did  the  work  so  easily  that  he  really  felt  scruples  about 
accepting  the  salary  for  what  could  be  done  with  so  little 
exertion.  His  eyes  were  sealed  against  the  true  appre- 
ciation of  what  the  position  offered  in  the  way  of  oppor- 
tunity and  duty. 

Besides  being  critical  of  }7ourself,  it  is  helpful  to  put 
yourself  in  the  attitude  of  receiving  or  even  courting  criti- 
cism and  suggestions  from  someone  of  experi- 
fromC'others  Gnce-  There  is  bound  to  be  some  teacher  who 
knows  the  school  and  its  needs  and  who,  if 
encouraged  to  do  so,  may  save  the  inexperienced  many  sad 
catastrophes  by  a  few  words  of  warning.  No  one  reaches 
such  perfection  that  he  may  not  find  something  to  learn, 
and  the  young  teacher  possesses  more  ignorance  than  she 
dreams  of,  even  at  the  close  of  the  first  trying  day. 

These  teachers  of  experience  can  give  advice,  can  point 
out  some  of  the  local  pitfalls,  can  give  valuable  assistance 
in  clearing  the  mind  of  the  beginner  by  talking  things  over ; 
but  after  all  is  said  and  done,  the  individual  must  work 
out  his  own  salvation. 

No  young  woman  should  allow  herself  to  expect  much 
assistance  from  the  principal.    From  the  first  she  must  show 


THE  FIRST  DAY  31 

what  kind  of  stuff  she  is  made  of.     Advice  she  may  ask, 
information  about  routine  she  may  obtain,  but  the  teacher 
who,  even  on  the  first  day  or  the  first  week, 
expects  to  lean  upon  the  strength  of  a  superior   Jjence6"" 
is  not  worth  the  saving-  to  the  teaching  force. 
A  principal  may,  for  a  time,  cover  the  weakness  of  a  subor- 
dinate, may  stand  between  her  and  the  consequences  of  her 
mistakes,  may  assist  her  over  the  troubles  arising  from  inex- 
perience, but  these  assistances  should  be  very  few.     If  they 
become  numerous  and  do  not  diminish  as  the  days  go  on, 
then  the  conclusion  is  inevitable  that  the  young  woman  has 
missed  her  calling. 

One  of  the  best  principals  the  writer  has  ever  known 
was  noted  for  the  strong  corps  of  teachers  that  he  always 
had  in  his  school.  When  asked  for  an  explanation  he 
answered :  "I  never  try  to  prop  up  a  weak  teacher.  Those 
that  need  propping  are  not  the  kind  that  we  want  in  the 
schools.  If  it  has  to  be  done  at  first  to  any  great  extent, 
they  are  bound  to  fail  eventually,  and  while  they  are  getting 
ready  to  fail  the  school  has  suffered  from  inferior  teaching. 
The  sooner  they  drop  out  the  better." 

"But  what  about  the  teacher  ?"  he  was  asked. 

"The  schools  do  not  exist  for  the  purpose  of  furnishing 
employment  to  young  women,  but  for  the  training  of  our 
children.  That  fact  should  never  be  lost  sight  of,  and  sym- 
pathy for  the  individual  teacher  must  not  blind  principal 
or  board  to  the  best  interests  of  the  schools." 

Two  things  are  important  in  the  beginner:  first,  close 
watchfulness  for  her  own  mistakes ;  second,  a  willingness 
to  receive  criticism  and  advice  from  those  wiser  than  herself. 

Above  all,  remember  that  if  the  first  day  did  not  go 
entirely  as  you  hoped,  there  is  a  tomorrow  in  which  to 
improve  upon  today. 


CHAPTER  III 
LIFE  OUTSIDE  OF  SCHOOL 

The  influence  of  the  life  lived  by  any  teacher  outside  of 
the  school-room  counts  for  as  much  as,  if  not  more,  than 
what  she  does  during  the  hours  which  she  spends  in  actual 
teaching. 

To  a  greater  or  less  degree,  her  teaching  activities  are 
somewhat  definitely  prescribed;  what  she  does,  or  is,  in 
her  independent  hours  is  largely  a  matter  of  choice,  deter- 
mined by  the  natural  promptings  of  her  own  personality. 
This  reflects  upon  her  as  an  individual  and  counts  for  more 
than  is  often  appreciated  toward  the  success  or  failure  of 
the  teacher. 

The  man  or  woman  who  wins  highest  honors  in  any  direc- 
tion is  the  one  of  wide  vision.  There  is  a  difference  between 
wideness  and  superficiality.  The  extended  vision 
Narrowness  does  n°t  Precmde  deep  and  exhaustive  work  in 
one  or  more  directions.  On  the  other  hand,  in 
these  days  of  specialization  there  is  great  danger  of  run- 
ning into  narrowness,  of  getting  so  deep  into  a  particular 
rut  that  it  is  impossible  to  see  over  the  edges.  Sometimes 
the  delver  forgets  that  there  is  anything  outside  the  con- 
tracted mole-like  channel  in  which  he  is  burrowing. 

With  a  full  classical  training  at  one  of  our  leading 
colleges,  and  with  a  doctor's  degree  from  a  German  uni- 
versity, a  certain  young  professor  was  called  to  a  position 
at  his  Alma  Mater.  He  early  announced  with  pride  that 
he  planned  to  spend  the  next  three  years  in  exclusive  study 

32 


LIFE  OUTSIDE  OF  SCHOOL  33 

of  the  ne  clause.  Such  a  choice  at  the  close  of  his  senior 
year  in  a  secondary  school  would  have  been  madness.  Such 
exclusive  specialization,  even  in  a  college  professor,  ought 
to  presuppose  wide  general  information  and  should  come 
only  after  such  a  wide  foundation  has  been  laid. 

There  is  scarcely  a  calling  which  tends  so  to  narrowness 
as  does  the  teaching  profession.  In  spite  of  a  good  educa- 
tion, of  opportunities  to  travel,  of  more  or  less  leisure,  the 
earnest  teacher  is  too  often  inclined  to  forget  everything 
else  and  bury  herself  in  her  school  work.  It  claims  her  first 
waking  thought ;  she  tells  at  the  breakfast  table  what  hap- 
pened yesterday ;  she  works  legitimately  in  the  school-room 
all  the  morning.  Usually  she  has  her  luncheon  with  other 
teachers,  and  the  conversation  is  about  Johnny  or  what 
was  said  in  the  class.  The  afternoon  is  a  repetition  of  the 
morning  from  which  the  teacher  carries  home  with  her  the 
nagging  thought  of  something  that  has  gone  wrong. 
School  thrusts  itself  into  the  dinner  conversation.  Papers 
to  correct,  lessons  to  look  over  for  the  morrow,  fill  up  the 
dull  evening  which  sends  weary  head  to  pillow,  to  thresh 
much  of  it  all  over  again  in  dreams.  Such  an  individual 
is  in  poor  condition  the  next  day  to  wrestle  with  the  force- 
ful band  of  Young  America  arrayed  against  her. 

This  is  not  an  exaggerated  picture  of  an  individual  case, 
but  too  true  a  representation  of  a  large  number  of  the 
teaching  body.  Extreme  cases  exist,  of  course,  of  which 
here  is  a  sample.  A  man  once  asked  a  teacher  if  she  had 
read  a  certain  book,  mentioning  one  of  excellent  merit 
which  was  then  attracting  wide  attention. 

"No,"  she  replied,  "I  haven't  had  time  for  twenty  years 
to  read  anything  but  primers  and  first  readers,  and  the 
nature  books  which  I  have  to  teach." 

If  this  woman  were  a  good  teacher  in  spite  of  this  nar- 


34  THE  TEACHER 

row,  contracted,  pitiful  condition,  what  a  great  teacher  she 
might  have  been  if  she  could  have  but  climbed  the  hill-side 
ever  so  little  a  way  ! 

She  was  proud  of  her  devotion  to  her  work,  not  know- 
ing that  her  attitude  showed  mental  obliquity  if  not  disease. 
She  had  lost  all  power  of  control.  She  was  like  the  person 
holding  the  electrodes  of  a  battery  with  a  current  thrilling 
through  them  so  strong  as  to  deprive  her  of  all  ability  to 
let  go. 

In  a  certain  city  in  one  of  the  states  of  the  middle  west, 
the  principal  of  the  high  school,  a  most  successful  school- 
man, once  made  this  remark : 

"If  I  had  to  choose  between  the  teacher  who  went  home 
every  night  with  a  pile  of  papers  to  look  over,  or  who  spent 
the  entire  evening  in  preparing  the  next  day's  work,  and 
the  one  who  left  it  all  behind  her,  had  a  good  time,  forget- 
ting school  completely,  I  would  take  the  latter." 

The  first  one  is  likely  to  come  to  school  dull  and  tired; 
the  other  brings  to  class  the  glow  of  enthusiasm  and  a  fresh- 
ened vitality  that  outweighs  more  technical  preparation. 
She  may  not  have  clearly  in  mind,  as  the  other  teacher 
does,  all  the  fine  points  of  the  lesson,  but  the  red  blood 
flowing  swiftly  in  her  veins  carries  the  young  people  on 
to  do  for  themselves. 

Of  course  there  is  a  happy  medium.  The  wise  teacher 
finds  it. 

If  the  clothes  a  woman  wears  in  school  are  important, 
those  she  wears  outside  of  working  hours  are  equally  so, 
especially  to  herself.  By  half-past  three,  the 
Evening  wear  and  tear  of  the  day  has  had  its  effect. 

Even  if  she  looks  as  fresh  as  in  the  morning, 
she  feels  untidy,  dilapidated,  and  weary.  Inclination  may 
tend  to  a  superficial  tidying,  because  more  care  seems  at  the 


LIFE  OUTSIDE  OF  SCHOOL  35 

time  too  great  an  exertion.  Be  as  wary  of  yielding  to  this 
feeling  as  the  traveler  through  ice  and  snow  and  cold  is  to 
the  almost  overwhelming  sense  of  drowsiness  that  attacks 
him.  He  knows  that  sinking  into  sleep  is  death.  Settling 
down  for  the  evening  in  school  clothes  means  for  the  teacher 
a  dropping  into  deadly  dullness  which  soon  becomes  chronic. 
The  temptation  just  to  wash  the  face,  brush  the  skirt,  give 
the  hair  some  attention,  and  go  to  dinner  without  further 
trouble  is  sometimes  almost  overpowering.  But  the  woman 
who  expects  to  make  other  people  go  her  way  must  first 
learn  to  master  herself. 

A  quick  bath,  preferably  warm  at  this  time  of  the 
day,  should  be  the  first  requisite  toward  resting.  Nerves 
are  likely  not  to  be  fully  in  accord,  and  the  warm  water 
by  equalizing  circulation  tends  to  restore  equilibrium. 
Every  garment,  even  to  the  shoes,  that  has  done  duty  in 
the  school-room  should  be  "put  away  to  rest."  Clothes 
need  that  cure  as  much  as  the  individual.  Fresh,  crisp 
clothing  helps  toward  a  fresh,  crisp  mind.  What  the  gown 
shall  be  must  depend  somewhat  upon  the  plans  for  the 
evening,  but  even  if  the  hours  are  to  be  spent  alone  in 
one's  room,  a  fresh,  light  muslin  or  a  simple  dinner  dress 
will  add  to  the  self-respect  of  the  wearer  and  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  quiet  hours  with  book  or  pen  or  fancy  work. 

The  successful  teacher  must  be  something  besides  a 
teacher.  Teaching  may  be  her  vocation,  but  she  should, 
for  her  own  satisfaction  and  for  her  highest 

.  ,  Value 

success,   have   an    absorbing;   avocation   besides,    of  an 

.  .  Avocation 

Rest  no  longer  is  considered  synonymous  with 
idleness.     Rest  is  change,  the  bringing  into  activity  of  a 
different    set    of   muscles,   using   the   mind   in    an    entirely 
different  direction. 

Many  great  men  have  had  some  favorite  pursuit  aside 


36  THE  TEACHER 

from  their  chosen  profession.  It  not  infrequently  happens, 
too,  that  this  same  worker  has  made  his  own  lasting  fame 
through  his  avocation. 

Seymour  Haden  was  primarily  a  surgeon,  but  he  made 
a  world-wide  reputation  as  an  etcher.  He  began  his  study 
of  the  art  as  a  recreation  and  relief  from  the  strain  of  his 
professional  labors.  All  that  he  did  with  etching  made 
him  a  better  surgeon,  for  he  went  back  to  the  operating 
table  with  nerves  steadied  by  complete  rest  and  change  in 
an  absorbing  interest. 

S.  Weir  Mitchell  was  primarily  a  nerve  specialist.  It 
would  seem  that  a  man  of  such  authority  in  one  line,  whose 
services  were  so  in  demand,  would  have  no  leisure  for  any- 
thing else.  But  somehow  he  found  time  to  write  "Hugh 
Wynne,"  "The  Adventures  of  Francois,"  "Characteristics," 
and  other  books. 

Maurice  Hewlitt  could  never  have  given  us  John  Sen- 
house  with  his  glorious  garden  which  was  all  England,  if  he 
had  not  thrown  aside  pen  and  book  to  dig  with  his  own 
hands  and  learn  the  nature  of  the  mariposa  lily  that  he 
might  plant  an  obscure  hillside  with  them.  There  are  heads 
of  great  manufacturing  establishments  earning  their  mil- 
lions who  can  tell  you  more  about  orchids  than  the  man  who 
makes  a  business  of  raising;  them,  and  who  can  show  vou  a 
greater  and  rarer  collection  than  can  be  found  in  any  green- 
house that  furnishes  the  market. 

There  are  matinee  idols  who  rush  from  the  glare  of  the 
foot-lights  to  work  upon  some  model  for  an  electrical  device, 
an  aeroplane,  or  something  else  that  makes  them  forget  the 
admiring  audience  and  the  confusion  behind  the  scenes. 
More  than  one  man  has  turned  from  the  strain  of  Wall 
Street  and  the  stock  exchange  to  write  the  stories  which  we 
read  with  delight  in  the  magazines.    Longfellow  and  Lowell 


LIFE  OUTSIDE  OF  SCHOOL  37 

were  primarily  college  professors ;  Hawthorne  earned  his 
living  in  the  customs  house  and  in  diplomatic  service ;  even 
kings  and  queens  have  sought  relaxation  in  science  and  in 
literature. 

It  is  almost  universally  true  that  those  who  have  done 
the  world's  best  work  have  had  some  secondary  interest 
to  turn  to  for  change  and  recreation. 

The  great  teacher,  the  good  teacher,  should  not  be  an 
exception.  Let  that  interest  be  drawing  or  painting,  music, 
mechanics,  designing,  writing  or  nature  study,  but  let  it  be 
something.  The  individual  without  interest  is  bound  to  be 
uninteresting,  and  no  one  in  the  teaching  business,  who 
entertains  hope  of  success,  can  afford  to  be  that  for  one 
instant. 

The  natural  conditions  of  a  teacher's  life  too  often  have 
little  to  offer  her  in  the  way  of  recreation  or  diversion  from 
the  outside.     This,  of  course,  varies  in  different 

Acquain- 

places.  In  a  small  town,  opportunities  of  know-  tance  with 
ing  its  people  come  easily,  and  the  teacher  who 
desires  to  save  some  time  for  her  own  pursuits  occasionally 
has  to  put  up  the  barriers.  To  know  in  a  personal  way,  the 
families  to  which  your  children  belong,  to  have  some  notion 
of  the  manner  in  which  the  children  live,  is  of  inestimable 
value  in  your  relations  with  them  in  the  school-room.  The 
side  light  thus  gained  upon  personal  peculiarities  and  the 
reason  for  them,  and  upon  traits  of  character,  habits,  and 
attitude  of  mind,  frequently  illuminates  a  situation  through 
which  there  was  before  no  way  but  blind  groping. 

In  small  towns  there  is  more  or  less  club  life  in  which 
the  teacher  is  expected  to  take  part.  Occasionally  this  may 
have  something  valuable  to  offer  her,  but  usually  she  will 
be  looked  up  to  and  expected  to  become  a  leader.  When 
this  is  true,  she  should,  if  possible,  accept  the  responsibility 


38  THE  TEACHER 

and  be  grateful  for  the  opportunity,  counting  it  all  in  a 
day's  work. 

In  a  city  this  situation  will  not  arise.  If  she  knows 
anything  about  the  home  life  of  her  pupils  it  will  be 
through  such  interest  in  them  as  to  make  her  go  deliberately 
and  definitely  after  information. 

The  children  come  from  all  grades  of  society,  meeting 
each  other  and  you  only  in  the  school-room.  To  the 
families  of  most  of  these  pupils  you  are  only  a  name,  some- 
times not  even  that,  but  just  "teacher."  When  one  stops 
to  consider  it,  fathers  and  mothers  in  a  great  city  are 
astonishingly  unacquainted  with  school  conditions.  It 
might  be  expected  that  even  the  most  unthinking  parent 
would  have  some  curiosity,  at  least,  to  know  what  sort  of 
person  has  charge  of  his  children  during  a  large  part  of 
their  working  hours,  who  conducts  their  intellectual  train- 
ing, and  very  largely  determines  the  trend  of  their  moral 
and  spiritual  development. 

But  that  is  not  the  case.  Whether  the  condition  is  one 
of  indifference  on  the  part  of  parents  or  whether  they 
have  that  complete  confidence  in  the  school  system  and 
its  employees  which  the  man  manifested  in  his  minister 
when  he  went  calmly  to  sleep  during  the  sermon,  some 
wiser  head  must  determine. 

No  matter  what  the  cause,  the  teacher  has  a  plain  duty 
to  embrace  every  opportunity  of  extending  her  acquaintance 
with  the  people  for  whom  she  is  working.  This  means  fol- 
lowing up  all  opportunities  of  meeting  and  talking  with 
these  people  upon  the  natural  ground  where  there  is  a 
common  interest — the  good  of  the  child.  There  are  various 
dignified  ways  of  doing  this  which  fall  legitimately  under  a 
topic  to  be  discussed  later. 

The  successful  teacher  can  never  cease  to  be  a  student. 


LIFE  OUTSIDE  OF  SCHOOL  39 

Sometimes  her  work  is  such,  especially  if  it  falls  in  a  high 
school,  that  she  is  compelled  for  a  time  to  study  hard  to 
keep  up  with  the  class  work.     Even  a  college 
education   gives   only  one  point  of  view,   and    stucferft  a 
that  of  the  teacher  is  entirely  different.     Many 
a  student  graduated  with  high  honors,  rightly  earned,  too, 
has  been  appalled,  when  he  stood  before  a  class  as  its  in- 
structor, at  the  inaccuracy,  the  vagueness  of  his  knowledge 
in  the  very  subject  in  which  he  as  a  student  excelled.     It 
is  one  thing  to  make  a  good  recitation  from  day  to  day ; 
quite  a  different  thing  to  possess  such  a  grasp  of  the  sub- 
ject, such  a  general  view  of  it,  as  to  teach  it  effectively. 

In  early  teaching  years,  this  accurate  preparation,  this 
filling  up  the  holes  in  one's  own  education,  will  absorb  about 
all  the  time  and  strength  that  should  be  given  to  formal 
study.  But  sooner  or  later  this  preliminary  work  is  done. 
At  this  stage,  selection  should  be  made  of  some  subject  of 
interest  and  the  serious  study  of  it  should  be  entered  upon. 
Let  it  be  French,  German,  Spanish,  science,  mathematics, 
or  literature,  but  let  it  be  something,  and  let  it  be  pursued 
regularly. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  devote  any  great  length  of  time 
to  this  study ;  the  important  thing  is  that  it  be  done  sys- 
tematically. This  may  be  given  fifteen  minutes  or  half  an 
hour  every  day,  every  other  day,  or  twice  a  week.  Occa- 
sionally the  few  minutes  will  be  absorbed  by  other  obliga- 
tions, but  one  must  never  let  go  entirely.  The  amount 
that  can  be  accomplished  in  any  line  with  no  more  than 
an  average  of  fifteen  minutes  a  day  given  to  it,  will  sur- 
prise the  individual  who  has  been  in  the  habit  of  wasting 
many  times  these  fifteen  minutes. 

Several   of  the  leading   educators   of  the   country?  men 
and  women  who  hold  responsible  positions  both  in  colleges 


40  THE  TEACHER 

and  in  public  schools,  had  little  opportunity  for  systematic 
study  in  their  early  years,  but  have  secured  broad  educa- 
tion through  self-directed  study  and  the  turning  of  odd 
moments  to  good  account.  The  process  is  slow,  laborious, 
and  often  discouraging,  but  it  will  produce  results. 

College  degrees  are  today  easily  within  the  reach  of 
those  who  earnestly  desire  them,  and  the  tendency  is  moving 
rapidly  toward  demanding  such  degrees  from  teachers. 
Numberless  high  schools  now  refuse  to  employ  anyone  not 
thus  equipped,  and  here  and  there  a  like  qualification  is 
insisted  upon  in  the  lower  grades.  This  ought  to  start  a 
teacher  out  far  ahead  of  the  old-time  instructor  who  had  to 
begin  work  on  very  slender  education.  In  the  long  run 
the  former  ought  to  go  much  farther  and  do  much  better 
work  for  the  school  than  the  latter.  This  end,  however, 
will  be  completely  defeated  in  the  case  of  the  student  who 
feels  that  his  education  is  completed  with  the  winning  of  a 
college  diploma.  By  that  time,  he  has  just  begun  to 
study ;  a  year's  teaching  will  show  him  purposes  and  ends 
of  study  which  he  had  never  dreamed  of  before.  The  road 
will  open  before  him  and  he  will  be  amazed  at  the  length 
of  it. 

Teachers  are  readers  naturally,  but  frequently  only 
desultory  ones,  picking  up  a  magazine  here,  a  novel  there, 
making  once  in  a  while  an  effort  at  more  serious 
Recrea?ion°r  undertakings.  A  certain  amount  of  this  kind 
of  light  reading  is  not  onty  allowable  but  even 
desirable.  A  good  novel  throws  one  into  the  society  of 
people  sometimes  far  more  interesting  than  those  that  come 
naturally  into  the  day.  A  good  short  story  is  a  rest.  To 
sit  down  on  a  solitary  evening  with  a  good  novel  and  not  to 
leave  the  comfortable  chair  until  the  last  leaf  is  turned,  is 
a  dissipation  worthy  of  occasional  indulgence,  for  it  brings 


LIFE  OUTSIDE  OF  SCHOOL  41 

rest  and  change  akin  to  a  journey  abroad.  The  utter  for- 
getting of  one's  own  individuality  is  often  blissful.  Such 
indulgence  is  not,  however,  to  be  commended  as  a  habit. 

Having  two  or  three  books  on  hand  at  the  same  time  has 
its  advantage.  If  one  does  not  fit  the  mood,  another  may, 
and  the  reading  pleasure  is  thus  conserved. 

The   reading   should   be   advancing   definitely   and   with 

purpose  along  some  line.     This  more  serious  reading,  like 

systematic  study,  need  not  take  much  time  each 
J  .  J  .  .        Reading 

day,  but  it  should  have  its  place.     After  this,    with  a 
J  .  .  .  Purpose 

the  reading  mood  may  be  indulged  with  greater 

latitude.     Some  reading  that  seems  frivolous  may  later  bear 

fruit. 

A  very  successful  teacher  of  English  History  tells  a  story 
of  how  she  first  became  interested  in  the  subject.  Like  many 
other  young  people,  she  had  the  desire  to  take  up  some 
improving  course  of  reading.  Several  historical  works  were 
suggested  to  her,  but  finding  them  all  dull  and  unattractive, 
she  abandoned  her  study  of  the  subject.  History  was  her 
abomination. 

About  that  time  a  small  circulating  library  was  started 
in  the  little  town  where  she  lived.  She  was  assistant  to  the 
librarian,  and  as  the  duties  were  light  she  had  abundant 
time  to  browse.  The  library  had  been  selected  largely  to 
furnish  entertainment,  and  not  entirely  on  the  ground  of 
high  literary  merit. 

One  day  this  young  girl  pulled  down  from  its  shelf 
an  inferior  novel  which  dealt  with  the  court  of  Henry  VIII. 
A  few  minutes  found  her  absorbed  in  its  pages,  and  for 
days  she  lived  in  that  court,  dazed  and  fascinated  by  its 
strange,  mysterious  life.  That  book  finished,  she  was  eager 
to  know  more  of  the  story  of  the  time,  and  she  read  on 
and  on  and  back  and  back  into  the  history  of  that  wonderful 


42  THE  TEACHER 

monarchy.  From  the  reading  of  that  novel  her  interest  in 
English  History  began  and  on  that  foundation  she  built 
up  the  knowledge  that  made  her  later  a  most  successful 
teacher  of  the  subject. 

A  word  ought  to  be  said  about  newspaper  reading,  but 

the  suggestions  to  men   and  to  women  should  be  entirely 

different.     Most  men  read  too  many  papers  and 

ReacfingPer       spend  too  much  time  upon  them ;  women  as  a 

rule    neglect    newspapers    altogether    or    read 

them  for  certain  personal  feminine  interest. 

It  is  the  duty  of  everyone  to  know  from  one  or  two  first- 
class  daily  papers  what  is  going  on  in  the  world.  To  do 
that  it  is  not  necessary  to  spend  an  hour  upon  each  sheet. 
The  ability  to  examine  a  paper  a  column  at  a  time  almost,  and 
yet  get  out  of  it  all  that  is  vital,  is  an  ability  that  everyone 
ought  to  cultivate.  The  full  head-lines  are  a  sufficient 
guide  to  the  contents  of  each  article,  and  there  is  only  a 
small  part  of  each  newspaper  that  is  of  the  slightest 
importance  to  any  one  individual.  A  quick  scanning  of 
the  captions  will  determine  what  is  of  value  to  the  reader. 
A  large  portion  of  every  issue  can  be  passed  by  without 
further  attention.  The  few  things  that  are  of  general  or 
individual  interest  may  be  read  carefully.  When  this  is 
correctly  done,  it  need  take  only  a  short  time. 

The  hour  has  struck  when  it  is  necessary  for  women 
as  well  as  men  to  keep  pace  with  the  world's  doings.  To  do 
this  quickly  and  easily  each  teacher  should  have  her  own 
daily  paper,  to  be  her  personal  property.  She  should  not 
depend  upon  the  chance  of  catching  a  few  minutes  at  the 
newspaper  after  the  man  or  men  of  the  house  are  through 
and  willing  graciously  to  let  her  have  a  late  glance  at  it. 
Let  each  woman  have  her  own  paper,  read  it  quickly,  get- 


LIFE  OUTSIDE  OF  SCHOOL  43 

ting  out  of  it  all  that  belongs  to  her,  and  then  pass  on  to 
the  next  duty  or  pleasure. 

Too  great  stress  cannot  be  placed  upon  the  health  of  a 
teacher.     The  sickly,  fagged,  nervous  woman  has  no  right 
in   the   school-room.      The   resistance   that   the 
work  offers  can  be  successfully  met  only  with    of^HeSth6 
perfect  health. 

The  time  ought  to  come,  doubtless  will  come  in  the  course 
of  the  great  hygienic  movement  sweeping  over  the  coun- 
try, when  only  the  strong  and  vigorous  may  be  employed 
in  our  schools.  Frequent  and  long-continued  illness  ought 
to  disqualify  anyone  for  the  profession.  Haste  the  day 
when  this  shall  be  true !  Hard  as  this  may  be  upon  those 
teaching  for  a  living,  it  is  right,  and  nothing  else  is  just 
to  the  schools  and  their  children. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  no  one  can  work  to  full  efficiency 
unless  he  is  well,  the  duty  becomes  imperative  to  give  the 
health  intelligent  consideration.     The  greatest 
difficulty  in  the  way  of  this  care  on  the  part  of    Exercise 
a  teacher  is  the  difficulty  of  getting  sufficient 
outdoor  exercise.      The  exercise   that   comes   as   recreation 
through  play  is  the  most  beneficial.     Every  opportunity  of 
this  sort  should  be  taken  advantage  of.     Golf  is  especially 
good  if  within  reach,  and  can  be  equally  enjoyed  by  young 
and  old.     Tennis  is  excellent*  and  there  is  open  to  anyone 
the  exercise  of  walking.     The  walk  with  a  purpose  and  in 
good  company  is  the  best.     It  is  rather  dull  business  to  start 
out  to  go  so  many  miles  just  for  the  exercise,  but  even  that 
is   better  than   sitting  down   indoors   for  the   same  length 
of  time. 

To  the  normal  healthy  body,  walking  is  a  pleasure,  and 
the  woman  who  cannot  do  five  miles  a  day  with  comparative 
ease  needs  to  get  into  training,  for  she  has  not  the  physical 


44  THE  TEACHER 

energy  which  her  daily  work  demands.  As  in  other  things, 
there  are  exceptions  to  this  statement,  but  in  general  it  is 
true. 

If  outdoor  exercise  is  not  practical,  then,  as  a  last  resort, 
gymnastic  exercises  in  one's  own  room  with  dumb-bells, 
wands,  or  Indian  clubs,  should  become  a  regular  practice. 
Each  individual  will  have  to  decide  after  experiment  upon 
what  gives  the  best  result,  as  well  as  upon  the  best  time  for 
taking  the  exercises.  There  is  no  end  of  systems,  and 
whichever  one  is  decided  upon  it  should  be  taken  with 
abundant  fresh  air,  windows  wide  open,  and  lungs  deep 
rilled  with  oxygen. 

It  ought  not  to  be  necessary  in  these  days  of  outdoor 
sleeping  to  say  anything  about  the  importance  of  good  air 
at  night.  But  it  is  still  true  that  some  people  are  afraid 
of  drafts.  The  way  to  avoid  danger  from  drafts  is  to  fill 
the  room  so  completely  with  fresh  air  that  drafts  disappear. 
Throwing  all  the  windows  wide  open  necessitates  warmer 
bedding,  and  this  added  warmth  should  be  supplied  with 
as  little  weight  as  possible. 

In  the  question  of  exercise  and  fresh  air,  as  in  all  other 
questions,  the  individual  has  to  be  considered.  No  two 
physical  organizations  thrive  under  identical  treatment. 

The  social  life  of  a  teacher  should,  so  far  as  possible,  be 
passed  with  people  outside  the  profession.  And  this  not 
because  other  people  are  necessarily  more  inter- 
Profess'ion  esting,  but  because  they  are  different.  It  is  one 
of  the  ways  of  keeping  the  rut  from  getting  too 
deep.  The  long  day  in  the  school-room  is  all  of  that  kind 
of  life  that  is  necessary.  When  the  day  is  over,  get  as 
far  away  from  it  as  possible;  do  not  talk  about  school; 
do  not  dream  school  if  you  can  help  it. 


LIFE  OUTSIDE  OF  SCHOOL  45 

On  the  other  hand,  it  is  affectation  to  attempt  to  conceal 
your  occupation. 

It  is  no  disgrace  to  be  known  as  a  teacher  and  there  are 
times  when  school  talk  is  a  good  asset.  We  all  like  to  hear 
about  the  lives  of  others  in  various  occupations ;  those 
outside  the  profession  of  teaching  are  often  glad  to  hear 
the  interesting,  dramatic,  and  amusing  things  that  belong 
to  school  days.  It  is  one  thing  to  furnish  out  of  your 
experience  bits  of  entertaining  conversation  at  the  proper 
time,  and  quite  a  different  matter  to  drag  your  school 
into  the  presence  of  people  who  have  no  interest  in  it, 
to  be  narrow  and  to  talk  of  nothing  but  your  own  work. 
Such  an  individual  becomes  an  insufferable  bore.  There 
are  too  many  such  in  the  ranks.  Every  line  of  life  puts 
certain  marks  upon  its  followers  and  school-teaching, 
especially,  seems  to  furnish  some  very  undesirable  ones. 
At  least  it  is  not  generally  considered  a  compliment  to  be 
recognized  as  a  teacher  anywhere  and  everywhere.  Most 
of  these  distinctive  marks  are  the  result  of  narrowed  lives. 

Broader  experience,  wider  life,  is  the  remedy.  The 
teacher  who  is  first!  and  last  a  big-souled,  red-blooded 
human  being  is  pretty  sure  to  be  first  and  last  and  all  the 
time  a  successful  teacher. 


CHAPTER  IV 

RELATION  TO  PUPILS 

The  success  or  failure  of  a  teacher  depends  largely  upon 
the  character  of  the  relations  which  she  establishes  and  main- 
tains, first,  toward  the  school  as  a  whole,  and  second,  toward 
each  individual  in  it. 

It  used  to  be  true  that  a  teacher  was  expected,  upon 
entering  the  school-room,  to  assume  an  attitude  especially 
fitted  for  the  occasion,  to  don  a  certain  added 
Naturalness  dignity.  In  fact  the  instructor  was  expected 
to  be  one  person  outside  the  school-room, 
another  within  its  walls,  and  that  second  personality  must 
be  emphatically  the  personality  of  the  pedagogue. 

School  is  not  a  stage  upon  which  one  is  expected  to  play 
a  part,  but  a  bit  of  real  life  where  naturalness  is  the  prime 
requisite.  It  never  demands  any  different  manner,  any 
different  facial  expression,  any  different  tone  of  voice,  any 
different  lift  of  the  head,  any  difference  in  any  singular 
particular.  Let  the  individual  that  you  are  walk  straight 
into  the  school-room.  Once  there,  be  yourself  every 
moment.  There  is  no  other  safe  principle  of  action  either 
in  the  school-room  or  out  of  it. 

The  severest  criticism  that  can  be  brought  against  the 
kindergarten  is  along  this  line.  The  fault  does  not  lie  in 
the  system  but  in  the  numbers  of  incompetent  young  women 
who  take  up  the  work  with  little  education  because  they 
have  to   do   something  and   "because   they   like   children. 

46 


55 


RELATION  TO  PUPILS  47 

They  never  quite  grasp  its  fundamental  idea.  They  too 
often  have  simply  taken  on  the  instruction  without  assimi- 
lating it, — have  become  poor  imitators  instead  of  acting 
spontaneously  out  of  their  own  natures.  They  affect  get- 
ting down  to  the  child,  not  knowing  that  the  ordinary 
individual  must  stand  on  tip-toe  most  of  the  time  to  reach 
up  to  the  level  of  the  child. 

There  is  no  use  in  describing  the  results  of  these  en- 
deavors ;  no  need  of  calling  attention  to  the  artificial  atti- 
tude of  a  certain  type  of  kindergarten  teachers,  to  their 
affected  tone  of  voice,  their  lovey-dovey  manner,  the  smile 
that  is  lip  service  only.  Most  schools  have  had  one  of  them 
at  some  time. 

While  the  kindergartners  are  especial  offenders,  they  are 
by  no  means  the  only  ones.  Their  prototype  can  be  found 
all  the  way  up  through  the  high  school.  Expressions  of 
surprise  are  often  heard  from  school-children  when  they 
accidentally  discover  that  their  teachers  are  possessed  of 
like  passions  and  like  interests  with  themselves. 

A  girl  in  a  boarding-school,  returning  from  an  after- 
noon tea,  burst  into  the  room  of  a  friend  exclaiming, 
"What  do  you  think !  Miss  So-and-so  was  there  all  dressed 
up  and  actually  pouring  tea !  I  never  thought  she  could  do 
such  a  frivolous  thing." 

The  profession  will  never  come  fully  into  its  own  until 
this  tendency  vanishes.  Affectation  and  posing  are  to 
be  carefully  avoided. 

Affectation  is  often,  if  not  always,  the  result  of  self- 
consciousness  tinged  with  egotism.     Someone  has  forcefully 
expressed  the  difference  between  an  elocution- 
ist and  an  orator  by  saying  that  the  elocutionist 


sciousness 


thinks  of  himself;  the  orator,  of  his  message. 

In  a  similar  way,  the  affected  teacher  is  always  conscious 


48  THE  TEACHER 

of  self;  the  natural  teacher  forgets  self  in  the  intensity 

of  her  work. 

Young  teachers  are  prone  to  be  very  jealous  of  their 

professional  dignity  and  to  guard  it  religiously  from  the 

slightest  profanation.     A  few  years'  successful 

Personal  teaching;  will  show  that  the  welfare  of  the  chil- 

Dignity  e> 

dren  is  vastly  more  important  than  any  personal 
dignity  that  has  to  be  upheld  by  artificial  means. 

A  young  teacher  once  stepped  into  a  recitation  room 
where  an  experienced  woman  was  working  with  a  large 
class  in  algebra.  She  was  down  among  the  class  with  the 
pupils  coming  to  her  for  help.  The  order  of  deadly  dull- 
ness was  absent ;  the  commotion  of  intense  activity,  directed 
activity,  was  present. 

When  the  hour  was  over,  the  younger  teacher  came  back 
with  her  question:  "How  dare  you  get  down  off  your 
platform  and  let  a  class  work  anywhere  as  they  were  doing 
just  now?  I  should  expect  to  compromise  my  dignity 
by  doing  it." 

"I  never  thought  of  my  pedagogical  dignity,"  was  the 
reply.  "I  was  teaching  algebra.  I  don't  believe  I  have 
demoralized  the  class,  though.  Come  in  tomorrow  and  see 
how  they  behave." 

The  dignity  that  has  to  be  propped  up  or  placed  upon 
the  pedestal  of  the  platform  ought  to  meet  its  downfall 
as  soon  as  possible.  There  is  a  dignity  that  every  teacher 
should  try  to  attain,  the  dignity  of  doing  excellent  work, 
of  winning  the  respect  of  pupils  unconsciously,  and  that 
can  be  attained  only  by  being  natural. 

The  teacher  in  charge  of  any  set  or  class  of  pupils 
stands  in  something  of  the  relation  of  hostess  to  them, 
responsible  for  their  comfort,  happiness,  and  general  well- 
being  while  in  the  school-house. 


RELATION  TO   PUPILS  49 

From  the  time  that  she  is  there,  the  school-room  is  the 
teacher's  home  and  the  standard  which  a  true  hostess  should 
set  for  herself  is  none  too  high.     Let  us  exam- 
ine some  of  the  things   demanded  of  a  good    £fPRe0a0rmnce 
hostess. 

In  the  first  place,  she  must  set  her  house  in  order.  She 
must  give  it  the  best  possible  appearance  consistent  with  her 
circumstances.  No  home  is  in  good  taste  that  is  not  in 
harmony  with  the  life  lived  there.  No  school-room  is  in 
good  taste  that  is  not  harmonious  with  school  life. 

Much  has  been  written  and  more  said  on  the  subject  of 
school  decoration.  Much  has  been  done  and  overdone  in 
this  direction.  It  is  not  meant  that  any  school  has  ever 
been  made  too  beautiful,  but  many  teachers,  in  attempting 
decoration,  have  crowded  their  rooms  and  covered  their 
walls  with  things  that  have  no  place  there. 

All  ornamentation  should  be  clear-cut,  should  have  mean- 
ing, and  should  contain  nothing  that  cannot  be  easily 
dusted  and  kept  sanitary.  Decorations  and  pictures  should 
not  be  crowded.  Each  should  be  so  placed  as  to  stand  out 
clearly,  its  character  undiminished  by  the  encroachments 
of  other  things. 

The  wide  difference  in  individuals  shows  itself  in  the 
appearance  of  the  place  where  they  spend  their  time.  The 
peculiar  air  given  by  the  touch  of  individual^  is  what 
every  room,  both  in  school  and  out,  ought  to  have,  and 
that  can  emanate  only  from  the  personality  which  domi- 
nates it. 

No  matter  how  humble  the  room,  how  simply  furnished, 
certain  elements  of  perfection  can  be  obtained, 
those   of  cleanliness   and   order.      The   teacher    Order 
in  charge  is   responsible  for  the  condition  of 
neatness.     Teachers  sometimes   complain   of.  janitors,  but 


50  THE  TEACHER 

even  when  these  are  most  willing  and  efficient,  there  is 
always  something  left  to  be  done. 

Young  people  are  careless  and  often  untidy.  The  ex- 
ample of  an  orderly  teacher  moving  quietly  about  the  room, 
putting  things  in  place  here  and  there  will  have  greater 
influence  than  much  speaking.  The  picking  up  of  scattered 
paper  from  the  vicinity  of  a  desk,  just  as  a  lady  would 
do  it  in  her  own  home,  will  have  more  effect  upon  the 
pupils  than  any  order  from  the  school-mistress  to  do  it  as 
a  penalty  for  carelessness.  It  will  not  take  many  repeti- 
tions of  this  bit  of  housekeeping  to  make  all  watchful  for 
untidiness  about  their  own  seats,  and  there  will  grow 
up  a  general  pride  in  the  neatness  of  the  room.  Soon  it 
will  not  be  an  unusual  sight  to  observe  a  girl,  and  some- 
times a  boy,  picking  up  scraps  of  paper  or  bits  of  chalk 
wherever  they  are  encountered. 

Individual  desks  will  also  demand  attention,  otherwise 
books  will  be  tumbled  into  them  helter-skelter.  A  guiding 
daily  word  to  particularly  careless  children  and  an  occa- 
sional general  housecleaning  will  meet  the  difficulty.  It  will 
not  adjust  itself,  however,  without  the  personal  attention 
of  the  teacher. 

We  have  already  discussed  the  importance  of  a  teacher's 
attire,  but  certain  phases  of  it  have  special  bearing  here. 
Retaining  the  simile  of  hostess,  remember, 
Clothes  that   it   is   her   duty   never   to    be    dressed    in 

extreme  contrast  to  the  possibilities  of  her 
guests.  She  should  be  so  attired  that  the  poorest  pupil 
in  the  room  need  not  feel  unpleasantly  conscious  of  her 
clothes.  The  teacher  should  be  a  worthy  leader  in  the  mat- 
ter of  dress,  but  she  must  allow  her  followers  to  keep  her  in 
sight.  We  live  in  a  work-a-day  world  and  the  clothes  should 
be  work-a-day  clothes.      This  does  not  stand   in  the  way 


RELATION   TO   PUPILS  51 

of  their  being  artistic,  dainty,  and  perfect  of  their  kind, 
but  it  should  bar  the  wearing  in  school  of  all  material  not 
adapted  to  hard  usage.  It  should  bar  all  elaborately 
made  garments  and  all  useless  ornaments.  This  will  leave 
not  only  a  compact-looking,  well-dressed  woman,  but  the 
woman  best  dressed  for  the  occasion.  The  silent  teaching 
of  such  a  toilet  will  eventually  eliminate  all  bedecked  and 
beribboned  girls  and  will  put  in  the  place  of  flummery,  the 
kind  of  clothes  of  which  the  girl  becomes  entirely  uncon- 
scious, and  that  is  the  perfection  of  dressing. 

The  code  of  manners  for  both  teacher  and  pupil  should 
be  the  same  in  the  school-room  as  anywhere  else  in  good 
society.      The  teacher   should   insist   upon  the 
same  standards  that  a  lady  would  expect  from    Manners 
her  guests  whom  she  receives  in  her  own  home. 
There  is  this  difference,  however,  that  the  teacher's  position 
renders  it  possible  for  her  to  make  suggestions  which  she 
might  not  feel  at  liberty  to  offer  in  general  society. 

It  is  easy  in  the  strain  and  hurry  of  the  day  for  the 
teacher  to  forget  to  demand  from  the  children  the  little 
politenesses  which  they  should  know  how  to  show  to  their 
elders.  The  same  courtesies  should  be  given  a  teacher  that, 
in  a  well-ordered  home,  the  children  show  to  their  mothers. 
It  is  to  be  remembered,  too,  that  many  homes  are  not  well 
ordered  and  so  it  becomes  doubly  the  duty  of  the  school 
to  supply  this  training. 

Rising  when  speaking  to  an  elder,  standing  until  a  lady 
is  seated,  being  thoughtful  to  pick  up  fallen  articles  and 
ready  to  perform  any  little  service,  and  stepping  aside 
to  allow  a  lady  to  precede  him, — these  are  some  of  the 
important  trifles  that  mark  the  gentlemanly  boy.  Boys 
need  more  attention  in  these  matters ;  girls  are  keener  to 
understand  and  more  careful  to  follow  conventions. 


52  THE  TEACHER 

There  is  a  time  in  a  boy's  life  when  he  is  apt  to  despise 
all  these  courtesies.  This  is  especially  true  if  he  comes 
from  a  home  where  they  are  entirely  foreign  to  the  life. 
The  first  lesson,  in  such  cases,  is  to  show  that  all  these 
things,  instead  of  being  silly  and  frivolous,  the  attributes 
of  effeminacy,  have  their  foundation  in  a  spirit  of  manly 
chivalry. 

An  interesting  struggle  once  took  place  between  a  cer- 
tain school  and  the  teacher.  The  entire  roomful  had  come 
to  her  strangers.  She  soon  discovered  that  it  never  entered 
the  heads  of  any  of  them  to  say  "Good  morning"  to  her 
when  they  met  in  halls  or  school-rooms,  as  they  would  have 
done  elsewhere.  This  teacher  did  not  wish  to  speak  to 
the  children  about  it  because  it  was  her  habit  to  mention 
nothing  formally  that  could  be  brought  home  in  any  other 
way.  She  began  quietly  but  insistently  to  address  each 
one  by  name  just  as  she  would  have  done  had  she  met  him 
on  the  street.  It  took  several  months  to  complete  the 
campaign,   but  they   eventually    all   said   not   only    "Good 

morning"  but  "Good  morning,  Miss  ,"  which  was 

what  the  teacher  had  been  struggling  for.     Good  manners 
are  contagious. 

These  are  details,  to  be  sure,  but  important  ones,  and 

whether  they  are  right  or  wrong  depends  entirely  upon  the 

standards  of  the  teacher  and  upon  her  power  to  bring  the 

school  up  to  them.     Any  teacher  is  markedly  failing  in  her 

full  duty  if  she  does  not  follow  up  all  breaches  of  etiquette 

until  good  manners  become  habitual  and  unconscious. 

.  But  there  are  other  things  even  more  important  than 

matters   of  politeness.      While   these   all   have 

Justice  their  influence  and  a  strong  influence,  the  vital 

thing,  after  all,  is  the  way  in  which  the  spirit  of 

the  teacher  appeals  to  and  meets  response  from  her  pupils. 


RELATION   TO   PUPILS  53 

Nothing  makes  a  stronger  appeal  to  young  people  than 
justice.  They  have  a  keen  sense  of  their  rights  and  will 
fight  for  them  to  the  last  ditch.  On  the  other  hand,  most 
children  will  take  without  murmur  any  punishment  that 
they  feel  is  merited  and  will  put  up  with  anything  that 
they  see  is  necessary.  They  may  not  like  it,  they  may  wish 
to  get  out  of  paying  the  price,  but  there  is  never  any 
complaint  against  the  teacher  when  the  justice  of  the 
penalty  or  the  situation  is  plain.  The  teacher  who  wins 
the  reputation  of  being  "square"  has  made  long  strides 
toward  success. 

A  teacher  stands  constantly  in  the  position  of  judge. 
Case  after  case  is  presented  and^  decision  often  has  to  be 
made  instantly?  and  these  decisions,  in  the  main,  must  be 
right.  An  occasional  mistake  is  not  fatal,  but  warfare, 
rebellion,  and  a  constant  irritation  will  be  the  portion  of  ■ 
the  frequent  offender  against  just  dealing. 

Hand  in  hand  with  justice  walks  mercy,  and  in  the  meting 
out  of  mercy  lurks  great  danger.     A  given  amount  of  a 
certain   drug  may  be   beneficial ;   an   overdose, 
fatal.      So  is  it  with  mercy.      Weakness  is  to    Mercy 
be  guarded  against ;  tender-heartedness  is  to  be 
kept  under  control.     The  good  of  the  individual  pupil  is  to 
be  considered,  without  losing  sight  of  the  effect  upon  the 
school  as  a  whole,  in  the  handling  of  any  specific  case. 

The  seemingly  kindly  thing  is  often  not  true  kindness. 
Indulgence  is  not  always  mercy.  It  is  sometimes  necessary 
to  "be  cruel  only  to  be  kind." 

The  mistake  is  often  made  of  yielding  to  the  desire  to 
save  the  child  from  suffering,  even  to  the  extent  of  pro- 
tecting him  from  the  consequences  of  his  own  wrong  doing. 
At  first  glance  it  would  seem  that  the  teacher  who  was  most 
indulgent  would  bind  a  school  to  her  with  hoops  of  steel. 


54  THE  TEACHER 

Strange  to  say,  that  is  seldom  the  case.  In  the  long  run. 
the  successful  teacher,  the  one  who  is  held  in  the  highest 
regard  by  the  school,  is  the  teacher  who  brings  the  offender 
into  just  judgment  and  holds  him  to  logical  consequences. 
She  does  this,  not  in  anger,  not  with  irritation,  but  with 
kindly  firmness.  She  deals  justly,  loves  mercy,  and  uses 
it  wisely,  not  weakly. 

Personal  influence  has  in  it  a  certain  element  of  power, 

but  there  is  danger  in  its  overuse.     Young  people  readily 

become  hero  worshipers  and  will  do  almost  any- 

TrffluSncl  thing  that  is  the  wil1  of  their  idol« 

This  personal  influence  may  be  a  legitimate 

influence  in  gaining  first  control,  but  to  depend  upon  it  is 
enervating.  All  action  to  which  one  is  impelled  from  with- 
out is  more  or  less  uncertain,  and  the  boy  or  girl  who  does 
right  solely  because  the  feelings  of  the  teacher  would 
otherwise  be  hurt  is  not  strengthening  character. 

The  teacher  should  guide,  direct,  and  advise ;  should 
sometimes  use  authority,  but  she  must  eventually  be  able 
to  slip  the  supporting  hand  from  beneath  the  swimmer 
and  see  him  cleave  the  waters  alone. 

Young  teachers  are  especially  tempted  to  err  on  the  side 
of  overestimating  the  importance  of  this  purelv  personal 
influence.  If  rightly  used,  it  is  of  value,  but  the  danger 
of  too  great  dependence  upon  it  is  serious. 

A    certain    attitude    of   friendship   between   teacher   and 

pupil  is  desirable.     This  will  differ  somewhat  from  other 

friendships  but  it  is  equally  strong  during  the 

Friendship       time  it  obtains  and  frequently  develops  into  a 

lifelong  bond. 

Childhood  is  a  stormy,  troubled  time.  Many  days  con- 
tain disappointments  and  sorrows.  Most  of  these  are  really 
very  small,  but  to  the  child  they  are  overwhelming,  espe- 


RELATION   TO   PUPILS  55 

cially  if  he  is  left  to  wrestle  with  them  alone.  The  teacher 
of  forbidding  attitude  will  compel  him  to  struggle  unaided ; 
the  teacher  who  is  the  right  sort  will  become  "a  very 
present  help  in  trouble." 

If  the  child  has  the  right  kind  of  confidence,  he  will 
bring  the  trouble  frankly  to  the  teacher,  who  can  usually 
dispose  of  it  or  assist  him  to  see  things  in  proper  propor- 
tions. Unbounded  respect  is  essential,  but  fear,  other  than 
the  wholesome  regard  for  a  natural  superior,  has  no  place 
in  the  relation  between  teacher  and  pupil. 

The  child  sees  life  from  his  own  point  of  view  and  his 
action  is  determined  by  the  vision  he  gets  from  that  view- 
point. To  be  sure,  that  is  constantly  changing,  but  it  is  a 
part  of  the  teacher's  highest  duty  to  know  the  horizon  line 
of  the  child  at  any  given  time.  In  no  particular  do  teachers 
make  more-  failures  than  in  not  measuring  accurately  the 
horizon  radius  of  their  children.  Many  teachers  see  con- 
ditions through  their  own  eyes  and  then  try  to  force  the 
child  to  meet  them.  Whoever  would  deal  justly  and  wisely 
must  look  through  the  child's  eyes  and  from  that  position 
help  him  to  steer  a  straight  course. 

The   ideal   attitude   is   that   of   guide   and   friend.      The 
guide    goes    ahead    and    points    the    way ;    he 
scans  with  clear  vision  the  lay  of  the  land  and    Attitude 
the  strength  of  his  followers  to  meet  its  diffi- 
culties ;  the  friend  reaches  out  a  sustaining  hand  when  the 
strength  of  the  traveler  is  insufficient. 


CHAPTER  V 
RELATION  TO  ASSOCIATES 

No  teacher  is  ever  supreme.  He  may  be  at  the  head 
of  a  given  educational  system  but  even  then  there  is  some 
board  in  authority  over  him.  In  other  positions,  teachers 
are  subject  to  heads  of  departments,  principals,  and  superin- 
tendents, and  at  the  same  time  are  working  side  by  side 
with  associate  teachers. 

A  part  of  success  depends  upon  the  attitude  of  the  indi- 
vidual toward  these  associates.  When  the  attitude  is  right, 
relations  are  pleasant  and  there  is  no  problem.  Unfor- 
tunately this  is  not  always  the  case. 

School  boards  are  sometimes  merely  political  machines; 

even  when  the  men  composing  them  desire  to  deal  justly 

and   uprightly,   they   often   have   no   training 

Boards  either     cultural     or     administrative     for     the 

position. 

Whatever  opinion  the  teacher  may  hold  of  the  school 
board,  either  individually  or  as  a  body,  the  fact  remains 
that  she  is  an  employee  of  that  board.  Whoever  accepts 
a  position  in  the  gift  either  of  an  individual,  or  a  board, 
tacitly  agrees  to  work  in  accord  with  the  policy  of  that 
individual  or  board. 

It  is  not  often  that  a  school  board  interferes  directly 
with  the  work  of  the  individual  teacher;  that  supervision 
is  delegated  to  superintendent  or  principal.  It  does  occur, 
however,  that  teachers  may  not  wholly  approve  of  certain 

56 


RELATION  TO  ASSOCIATES  57 

policies  of  the  board.  When  this  is  the  case,  what  should 
be  the  attitude  of  the  teacher? 

First  and  foremost,  it  is  excellent  practice  in  any  walk 
in  life  to  attend  rather  strictly  to  one's  own  business. 
Sometimes  it  is  a  difficult  matter  to  determine  just  where 
the  line  should  be  drawn  between  what  is  our  affair  and 
what  we  should  leave  alone.  No  one  can  assume  the  entire 
responsibility  of  matters  terrestrial,  and  the  person  who 
,  keeps  his  own  plot  of  ground  in  order  has  little  time  to  peer 
over  the  fence  at  the  weeds  in  his  neighbor's  garden.  It  is 
well  to  remember,  too,  that  several  men  have  amassed  great 
fortunes  by  attending  strictly  to  their  own  business. 

"Inasmuch  as  lieth  within  you,  live  peaceably  with  all 
men."  Harmony  is  desirable  and  criticism  of  school  boards, 
never  a  part  of  a  teacher's  duty,  is  not  conducive  to  har- 
mony. The  cases  are  rare,  anyway,  where  the  two  ever 
need  to  come  into  close  contact. 

It  may  be  something  of  a  blow  to  one's  pride,  but,  as  a 
rule,  the  board  is  interested  in  individual  teachers  only  as 
any  other  employer  is  interested  in  those  to  whom  he  pays 
a  wage.  What  the  employer  wants  is  results.  If  they  are 
not  forthcoming,  he  demands  a  change  to  one  who  can 
produce  what  is  wanted.  After  the  appointments  are  made, 
the  board  usually  forgets  the  teacher,  turning  over  all 
responsibility  of  success  or  failure  to  the  superintendent. 
When  the  year  rolls  around,  one  question  will  be  asked, 
"Has  such  or  such  a  teacher  made  good?"  If  the  answer 
is  in  the  affirmative,  her  position  is  secured;  if  not,  she  is 
of  no  further  value  to  them. 

So  true  is  this  that  in  a  school  where  there  was  serious 
friction  for  years,  one  teacher  who  had  been  disagreeably 
aggressive  in  her  opposition  to  the  administration  and  to 
the  board,  was  retained  because  she  was   one   of  the  best 


58  THE  TEACHER 

teachers  in  the  corps.  She  held  her  place  because  she  got 
results, — did  more  than  well  the  work  she  was  hired  to  do. 

Another  case  illustrates  both  the  absolute  authority  of 
the  board  and  the  value  of  good  work.  Several  excellent 
teachers  were  once  dismissed  in  a  most  summary  manner 
because  they  had  expressed  hearty  disapproval  of  the 
general  policy  of  the  school  board.  These  teachers  had 
a  perfect  right  to  their  opinion  but  they  voiced  it  in  no 
mild  terms  at  every  opportunity.  They  thought  they  were 
acting  honorably  by  being  thus  open,  but  the  only  result 
of  their  action  was  the  keeping  of  the  town  in  an  unpleasant 
wrangle  through  the  summer  and  the  final  loss  of  their 
positions.  They  accomplished  none  of  the  things  they  had 
hoped  to  bring  about,  for  the  board  did  not  change  its 
policy  in  a  single  particular.  But  these  women  were  valu- 
able teachers  and,  after  giving  them  their  lesson  during 
the  summer,  the  board  reinstated  them  in  September  under 
the  same  administration. 

The  relation  between  the  teacher  and  the  superintendent 
or  principal  is  much  closer  and  so  is  of  prime  importance. 

It  is  impossible  for  a  school  to  attain  its  high- 
Superin-  f  .... 

tendent  or  est  efficiency  unless  this  relation  is  right.  In 
Principal  .         .       .  . 

making  it  right,  a  large  share  of  the  responsi- 
bility rests  with  the  teachers. 

When  a  principal  first  takes  charge  of  a  school,  he  finds 

in   it  many   teachers   who   have   long   held   their  positions. 

_    ,  The  school  and  its  routine  are  familiar  to  them  ; 

Attitude  of 

Experienced     they  have  personal  acquaintance  with  the  pu- 

Teachers  .  . 

pils ;  they  know  each  other.     Either  they  were 

devoted  to  the  last  principal  or  they  are  glad  of  the  change. 

The  teachers  are   upon  familiar  ground ;  the  principal   is 

the  stranger,  the  work  all  untried. 

The  attitude  toward  the  newcomer  should,  from  the  first, 


RELATION  TO  ASSOCIATES  59 

be  one  of  confidence.  This  will  usually  be  the  case  if  his 
predecessor  has  not  been  entirely  satisfactory,  for  the 
faculty  welcomes  the  change  and  is  hopeful.  To  follow 
a  successful  man  is  often  difficult.  The  feeling  that  no  one 
else  can  administer  the  school  efficiently  is  natural,  and  com- 
parisons between  the  former  principal  and  the  present  one 
will  not  be  to  the  advantage  of  the  one  now  in  authority. 

The  new  man  will  never  be  exactly  like  the  old  one ;  he 
will  not  conduct  the  school  in  the  same  manner.  But  is  it 
not  barely  possible  that  he  will  do  some  things  better?  If 
the  retiring  principal  was  a  valuable  man,  he  probably  left 
to  take  a  better  position.  While  regretting  their  loss,  the 
teachers  should  be  proud  of  his  success,  and  remembering 
that  the  new  man  was  in  no  way  responsible  for  the  change, 
should  give  him  complete  allegiance. 

Everyone  does  his  best  under  approval  and  in  an  atmos- 
phere of  sympathy.     The  new  principal  or  superintendent 
should  at   once  be  made  to   feel  the   full  loyalty   of  his 
teachers  and  their  willingness  to  give  him  every 
assistance  and  support  in  all  endeavors  for  ad-    Loyalty 
vancement  of  the  institution. 

Any  school  system  that  is  well  organized  will  run  for  a 
time  without  much  impetus  from  the  superintendent.  A 
person  entering  a  new  position  is  apt  to  take  advantage 
of  this  fact  and  for  a  time  to  let  things  run  on  pretty 
nearly  in  their  accustomed  channels.  This  is  his  time  for 
studying  the  situation,  finding  out  what  he  approves 
and  noting  the  things  that,  in  his  judgment,  should  be 
changed. 

During  this  period  the  teachers  can  be  of  great  assist- 
ance. They  should  make  their  superintendent  feel  that 
they  are  glad  to  give  all  the  help  that  may  be  desired. 
It   will   sometimes   be   wise   to   volunteer   information,   not 


60  THE  TEACHER 

officiously  but  in  such  a  manner  as  will  testify  to  complete 
loyalty  and  a  desire  to  be  of  service.  In  such  case  it  is  well 
to  select  the  pleasant  and  the  interesting  things.  The 
unpleasant  come  all  too  readily  to  the  surface.  There  are 
thousands  of  incidents  that  cluster  around  school  life  that 
are  worth  the  telling,  all  going  to  make  the  background 
for  a  wise  final  judgment  of  the  school's  condition  and 
needs.  There  are  things  to  be  told  about  individual  pupils, 
their  success  in  classes,  their  attitude  toward  each  other 
and  toward  the  teachers,  their  part  in  the  various  activities. 
Any  knowledge  of  home  conditions  is  bound  to  be  valuable. 

The  opportunity  to  mention  these  things  will  arise  nat-  ' 
urally  as  the  life  of  the  school  moves  along  in  its  beaten 
track.  They  offer  natural  subjects  of  conversation  and 
through  informal  talks  on  these  subjects,  superintendent 
and  teachers  become  acquainted  with  each  other  as  well  as 
with  the  school. 

One  error  should  be  carefully  guarded  against.  Do  not 
tell  how  the  previous  superintendent  did  this  or  that ;  be 
very  careful  how  you  quote  him.  It  will  be  time  enough 
to  give  information  about  his  methods  when  that  informa- 
tion is  specifically  asked  for. 

When  teachers  have  worked  long  together  and  know  each 
other  well,  the  desire  to  talk  things  over  is  a  strong  one. 
There  is  a  tendency  to  discuss  the  new  official, 
Things9  Over  to  note  his  peculiarities  and  to  contrast  man- 
ner, attitude,  and  methods  with  those  of  his 
predecessor.  All  this  can  do  no  good  and  will  usually 
result  in  harm.  First  judgments  are  not  always  correct 
and  where  there  is  in  them  the  slightest  touch  of  the 
unfavorable,  it  may  be  well  to  keep  them  to  yourself.  The 
man  who  does  not  strike  you  favorably  at  first  because 
of  some  preconceived  notion  of  what  you  had  expected, 


RELATION  TO  ASSOCIATES  61 

may  later  prove  all  that  you  could  desire.  If  that  is  the 
case,  you  will  be  glad  if  you  have  kept  your  unfavorable 
criticism  to  yourself. 

Further,  even  if  there  be  some  element  of  truth  in  your 
feeling  or  judgment,  talking  it  over  only  magnifies  it  and 
makes  you  all  feel  that  it  is  worse  than  it  really  is. 

The  impression  that  comes  forth  solidified  in  words  be- 
comes more  or  less  permanent.  If  it  exists  in  silence,  it  is 
more  easily  eradicated  even  from  your  own  mind. 

Unfortunately  for  all  of  us,  it  is  not  entirely  outside  of 
experience  for  strong,  efficient  teachers  to  have  placed  over 
them  a  superior  officer  not  nearly  as  competent 
to  do  the  work  of  the  position  as  the  teachers    Relation 
themselves.     Such  a  situation  is  unpleasant  and 
difficult  and  it  requires  unusual  force  of  character  to  meet 
it  properly. 

It  will  never  do  to  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  the  office 
carries  with  it  a  certain  dignity  and  demands  a  certain 
amount  of  respect.  Perhaps  the  teacher  may  not  like 
the  individual  in  authority ;  that  has  nothing  to  do  with 
the  official  attitude  unless  it  make  the  teacher  even  more 
punctilious  in  the  discharge  of  every  duty  involving  rela- 
tions with  her  superior.  Personal  irritation  and  personal 
feeling  should  as  little   as  possible  tinge   official   conduct. 

A  certain  city  was  to  elect  a  superintendent.  There  were 
several  candidates,  some  far  less  desirable  than  others.  The 
least  capable,  in  the  estimation  of  most  of  the  teachers 
and  the  better  element  of  the  city,  won.  More  than  that, 
the  opinion  was  current  that  his  victory  was  due  to  some- 
what dubious  methods.  While  the  matter  was  pending, 
those  teachers  who  had  a  decided  preference  for  another 
candidate,  used  their  influence  for  him.  This  was  legitimate, 
for  they  had  a  right  as  citizens  to  express  their  preference 


62  THE  TEACHER 

and  to  work  for  the  candidate  of  their  choice.  The  other 
man  was  elected,  however,  and  at  once  the  relation  between 
him  and  the  teachers  changed. 

Possibly  he  was  not  as  good  a  man  for  the  position  as 
the  other  would  have  been,  but  the  fact  remained  that  he 
had  been  elected  and  so  had  become  the  one  under  whom 
thev  were  to  work. 

There  were  some  teachers  who  could  not  drop  the  fight 
even  after  the  battle  had  been  decided  but  continued  to 
work  against  the  new  superintendent  in  every  direction. 
One  woman  in  particular,  high  in  authority  and  an  excel- 
lent teacher,  could  never  bring  herself  to  offer  the  man 
ordinary  courtesy.  She  avoided  him  when  possible  and 
when  that  could  not  be  done,  treated  him  with  such  extreme 
coldness  as  to  amount  to  rudeness.  She  criticized  another 
teacher  for  showing  this  official  some  attention  upon  one 
of  his  visits  to  their  building. 

"You  are  not  honest,"  said  the  disaffected  woman.  "You 
worked  against  this  man  as  hard  as  anyone  else  and  now 
you  treat  him  as  though  you  approved  of  him.  I  don't  see 
how  you  can  bear  to  talk  to  him.  You  don't  like  him  any 
better  than  I  do,  and  yet  you  are  polite  to  him." 

The  answer  contained  much  good  philosophy. 

"You  fail  to  understand  that  I  was  not  paying  attention 

to  Mr.  as  an  individual,  but  was  trying  to  treat 

courteously  the  superintendent  of  our  schools." 

That  particular  superintendent,  in  his  official  capacity, 
was  not  inefficient.  He  knew  much  about  schools  and,  in 
the  main,  administered  them  well.  While  he  was  a  poli- 
tician and  a  self-seeker,  he  was  considerate  of  his  teachers 
and  really  helpful,  never  interfering  with  anyone  unless 
that  person  got  in  the  way  and  blocked  the  path  between 
him  and  some  personal  ambition.     In  that  case,  the  obstacle 


RELATION  TO  ASSOCIATES  63 

went  down.     Those  teachers  who  went  ahead  and  did  their 
work  to  the  best  of  their  ability  had  no  trouble. 

Another  school  had  been  under  the  administration  of  one 
man  for  many  years.     Everything  was  in  excellent  condi- 
tion and  the  corps  of  teachers  somewhat  un-    The   Unsat. 
usual,  for  most  of  them  had  been  long  in  the    superior 
school  and  had  worked  in  harmony  with  each 
other  and  with  the  administration.     In  the  middle  of  the 
year,  the  superintendent  was  called  to  another  city.     The 
retiring   official   was   large-minded,   big-hearted,    and   pos- 
sessed   of    great    confidence    in    human    nature.      His    was 
a  strong  personality  and  he  had  put  the  stamp  of  it  upon 
the  entire  organization.     He  possessed  keen  intuitions  and 
other  qualifications  which  had  been  the  means  of  gathering 
around  him  this  body  of  especially  competent  teachers. 

He  knew  these  teachers  and  believed  in  them,  but  his  suc- 
cessor had  no  faith  in  anyone,  either  teacher  or  pupil. 
The  new  superintendent  was  sure  that  girls  and  boys  were 
always  on  mischief  bent  and  when  he  saw  two  or  three 
teachers  gathered  together,  he  was  sure  they  were  plotting 
deeply  his  overthrow. 

Under  the  old  administration  the  teachers  had  been  as 
one  family,  living  happily  together  and  working  in  mutual 
confidence  for  the  common  good.  Their  first  supposition 
was  that  their  new  superior  felt  himself  to  be  one  of  them 
and  they  treated  him  accordingly.  But  their  every  advance 
was  repulsed,  their  every  act  looked  upon  with  suspicion. 

This  type  of  man  was  new  to  these  teachers.  Fortu- 
nately such  an  official  is  not  often  placed  in  authority. 

Under  a  superintendent  of  this  character,  what  is  the 
dutv  of  the  teacher? 

First — She  should  do  everything  possible  to  change  con- 
ditions and  to  make  them  right. 


64  THE  TEACHER 

Second — She  should  avoid  public  criticism  of  her  superior. 

Third  (and  this  is  the  last  resort) — After  making  sure 
that  conditions  are  intolerable  and  will  remain  so,  she 
should  resign.  There  is  no  other  dignified  course.  The 
subordinate  teacher  can  never  forcibly  or  by  rebellion 
change  the  state  of  things  determined  by  a  superior. 

A  leading  teacher  in  the  system  described  above  reached 
just  this  situation.  To  make  sure  that  there  was  no  hope 
of  relief,  she  went  to  the  president  of  the  school  board 
and  frankly  stated  the  case  as  she  saw  it  and  told  him  what 
she  thought  of  the  possibilities  of  final  success.  She  was 
treated  with  every  courtesy  but  saw  that  the  policy  of  the 
board  was  to  retain  the  official  another  year.  It  was  not 
a  pleasant  state  of  things  to  face,  but  nothing  was  left 
for  her  but  to  resign,  and  her  example  was  followed  by  six 
or  eight  of  the  other  tried  teachers. 

Wherever  an  individual  is  employed,  he  should  work 
in  harmony  with  the  administration  or  resign.  "Get  out 
or  get  in  line"  applies  as  well  to  schools  as  to  any  other 
business. 

The  only  other  course  is  that  of  bringing  the  situation 
to   general  public   attention   and  arousing  a   sentiment   of 

opposition  to  the  superintendent. 
Alternative  This  nas  ^een  tried  over  and  over  again.     It 

results  in  a  most  unsavory  commotion  in  the 
community,  an  immense  amount  of  hard  feeling,  and  usu- 
ally in  the  final  overthrow  of  the  subordinates  who  have 
attempted  to  stir  up  a  revolution  and  bring  about  a  reform. 

The  acceptance  of  a  position  is  voluntary  and  the  remain- 
ing in  it. usually  a  matter  of  choice.  You  may  have  mis- 
judged conditions  when  taking  the  place  or  they  may  have 
changed  later.     In  either  case,  the  improvement  of  them 


RELATION  TO  ASSOCIATES  65 

is  not  your  responsibility  except  through  such  influence 
as  you  may  be  able  to  exert  by  attending  to  your  own 
business  closely  and  thoroughly. 

There  are  cases  where,  for  some  personal  reason,  it  is 
imperative  that  a  teacher  remain  in  a  certain  place.     Then 
her  only   course  is  to  stay  there  as  patiently 
and   independently   as   she   can.      She  will  not    Necessfty3 
be  comfortable  but  she  can  endure.     Her  atti- 
tude must  be   wisely   politic,   avoiding  all  unpleasantness, 
keeping  close  to  her  own  beat,  holding  the  kingdom  of  her 
own   room   as   nearly    as    she   can   to   her   own    ideals,   but 
yielding  when  necessary  on  such  points  as  do  not  involve 
a  principle  or  are  not  vitally  important. 

The  relation  to  fellow  teachers  also  demands  attention. 
To  live  in  harmony  with  all  of  them  is  not  an  easy  task,  and 
}^et  the  successful  individual  must  accomplish 
this,  not  by  undue  giving  up   of  rights,   not    yUch'ers 
by   flattery   or  fawning,   but   through  tactful 
handling  of  every  situation,  no  matter  how  difficult. 

Jealousy  is  the  thing  most  likely  to  demand  avoidance, 
for  there  are  myriads  of  chances  for  it  to  creep  into  the 
daily   routine.      The   one  thought   to  be  held 
uppermost  is  the  good  of  the  school.     If  one    Jealousy 
teacher  can  do  something  better  than  you  can, 
and  that  is  bound  often  to  be  the  case,  help  that  person 
to  the  opportunity ;    do  not  stand  enviously  back  or  put 
obstacles  in  the  way.      There  are  other  things  which  you 
can  do  and  which  no  one  else  can  do  equally  well.     Till 
your  own  garden  plot  diligently,  but  do  not  throw  your 
weeds  over  into  your  neighbor's  field. 

Every  opportunity  to  aid  in  the  administration  of  the 
school  should  be  carefully  watched.     To  do  this  and  to  take 


66  THE  TEACHER 

advantage  of  such  opportunity  without  seeming  officious 

and  without  seeming  to  usurp  the  rights  of  someone  else, 

requires  decided  tact. 

.  No  teacher  can  ever  be  of  the  fullest  value 

and  to  any  school  who  is  not  alert  for  opportuni- 

Obligation  .  .        .         ,  .    .^ 

ties   to    assist   in    the    general   administration. 

No  one  person  can  ever  take  the  entire  responsibility  of 

the    discipline    of    any    school,    because    no    one    human 

being    can    be    omnipotent,    omniscient,    and    omnipresent. 

There  must  be  one  head  to  determine  the  general  policy 

and  to  direct  it;    there  must  be  one  steady  hand  to  hold 

everything  in  unison,  but  the  teacher's  constant  assistance 

is  needed  for  the  successful  school. 

Each  teacher  should  feel  responsible  for  whatever  comes 
under  her  observation.  I  do  not  mean  by  this  that  teachers 
should  turn  themselves  into  spies, — Heaven  forbid!  Let 
them  go  about  their  own  business,  but  when  they  come 
across  something  that  is  not  right,  let  them  attend  to  it 
then  and  there,  assuming  that  it  is  a  part  of  their  business 
to  right  a  wrong  wherever  encountered.  There  are  too 
many  teachers  who  take  no  action  when  they  see  a  breach 
of  discipline,  a  violation  of  good  manners,  or  what  is  worse, 
a  failure  in  integrity  even  where  the  offenders  know  they 
have  been  observed.  Instead  of  settling  the  matter,  they 
pass  on  without  a  word,  perhaps  to  talk  it  over  with  the 
next  teacher  and  complain  of  the  discipline  of  a  school 
where  such  a  thing  is  possible.  Perhaps  the  discipline 
is  worthy  of  criticism,  but  it  is  because  principals  and 
others  in  authority  continue  such  teachers  in  their  positions. 

He  who  is  not  willing  to  do  more  than  his  technical  duty 
has  not  yet  risen  to  full  worthiness  in  his  work.  Each 
teacher  is  morally  bound  to  do  everything  possible  for  every 


RELATION  TO  ASSOCIATES  67 

boy  and  girl  in  the  school  and  any  neglect  of  general  duty 
is  a  failure  in  this  direction. 

The  scornful  question  "Am  I  my  brother's  keeper?" 
did  not  receive  at  its  historic  asking,  an  answer  that  ab- 
solved future  generations  from  responsibility  under  similar 
circumstances.  A  teacher  is  the  keeper  of  all  young  people 
directly  or  indirectly  under  her  charge.  For  the  rights 
of  the  individual  boy  or  girl,  for  the  honor  of  the  school, 
and  for  her  own  final  good,  she  may  not  deny  it.  She  may 
not  repudiate  the  claim  upon  her  service  whenever  that 
service  seems  to  be  needed.  Team  work  among  teachers 
is  as  important  as  it  is  on  the  football  field. 


CHAPTER  VI 
RELATION  TO  PARENTS 

The  chasm  which  today  yawns  between  teacher  and  par- 
ents is  a  wide  one  and  not  easy  to  bridge.  The  very  best 
efforts  of  an  energetic  teacher  will  bring  her  within  hailing 
distance  of  only  a  small  percentage  of  her  patrons.  She 
should  work  unremittingly,  however,  to  the  end  of  reaching 
the  largest  possible  number,  watching  every  opportunity 
and  taking  advantage  of  every  opening. 

All  schools  should,  most  of  them  do,  have  some  system 
by  which  reports  of  pupils  go  home  at  regular  intervals. 

Much  of  this  bears  no  visible  fruit,  elicits  no 
Reports  response  from  parents;    and  unless  there  is  a 

method  of  checking  there  is  no  way  of  knowing 
whether  such  notices  ever  reach  their  destination.  This 
indifference,  however,  has  no  bearing  on  the  plain  duty 
of  giving  an  acount  of  your  stewardship. 

In  this  formal  notification  the  individual  teacher  has  little 
responsibility  beyond  seeing  that  the  records  of  scholarship, 
absence,  and  tardiness  are  properly  filled  out  and  sent. 

Everywhere  in  business  there  is  increased  attention  to 
the   personal   touch.      A  certain   manufacturing   establish- 

ment  keeps  a  regular  card  catalogue  of  its 
Personal  customers.     Into  this  goes  everv  bit  of  infor- 

Touch  m  °  J  m 

mation  that  can  be  gathered  either  through 
their  salesmen,  through  the  newspapers,  or  through  corre- 
spondence. If  a  customer  has  recently  added  a  new  front 
to  his  building  or  moved  into  a  new  store  or  enlarged  his 

68 


RELATION  TO  PARENTS  69 

business,  that  is  recorded  with  date.  If  someone  associated 
with  a  firm  has  married  or  bought  a  new  house  or  an  auto- 
mobile, that,  being  of  interest  to  the  customer,  becomes 
at  once  a  bit  of  working  capital  for  the  manufacturer. 
All  this  knowledge  cannot  come  first  hand  to  the  man  who 
uses  it,  but  all  the  traveling  salesmen  are  instructed  that 
it  is  a  definite  part  of  their  day's  work  to  gather  such 
information  and  write  it  to  the  house. 

When  a  customer  comes  to  the  factory,  through  refer- 
ence to  this  record,  he  at  once  becomes  something  more  than 
John  Smith,  and  the  individual  whose  business  it  is  to  look 
after  him  has  clear  and  definite  data  upon  which  to  base 
both  pleasant  chat  and  real  business  talk. 

Something  of  the  same  method  is  possible  of  adaptation 
to  our  own  work.  Every  bit  of  information  about  pupils, 
their  homes,  their  parents,  and  their  friends,  that  is  gained 
even  accidentally,  should  be  pigeon-holed  in  the  brain  for 
possible  future  use.  The  time  is  pretty  sure  to  come  when 
it  will  throw  valuable  side  light  upon  some  troublesome 
situation. 

The  home  often  complains  that  it  is  not  informed  of  the 
shortcomings  of  the  children  and  parents  insist  that  these 
would  have  been  corrected  had  they  been  known. 

The  school,  on  the  other  hand,  complains,  and  justly 
of  the  general  indifference  of  the  home.  The  teacher 
claims  that  she  has  done  the  best  she  could  alone.  Every 
effort  should  be  made  to  change  this  condition. 

A  teacher's  technical  duty  may  be  performed  when  she 
has  filled  out  and  sent  the  printed  blanks.     Yet,  these  are 
cold,    formal   affairs,   utterly    impersonal,   and 
often  have  a  strange  power  to  produce  irrita-    Notes"3' 
tion  entirely  unexpected.     The  thoughtful  per- 
son with  eye  alert  for  every  opportunity  will  frequently 


70  THE  TEACHER 

supplement  these  notices  with  a  well-considered  personal 
note.  To  be  sure,  this  takes  time,  and  to  do  it  well  is  an  art 
in  itself. 

Such  notes  should  never  be  fulsome,  but  should  ring  with 
a  genuine  interest.  Of  course,  the  interest  must  first  be 
genuine ;  the  expression  of  it  will  then  be  natural  and  such 
as  to  produce  a  helpful  response. 

It  may  be  necessary  to  criticize  the  poor  work  that  Mary 
is  doing  in  arithmetic,  but  if  she  is  making  some  headway 
in  geography  or  really  doing  very  well  in  English,  do  not 
forget  to  mention  that,  too.  Occasionally  cases  arise  where 
the  teacher  can  find  no  adequate  explanation  for  a  child's 
failure.  A  tactfully  worded  note  frankly  asking  the  co- 
operation and  assistance  of  the  home  has  often  brought 
out  information  that  has  led  to  a  wise  and  complete  solution 
of  all  difficulties. 

Adverse  criticism  is  easy  and  in  the  teaching  profession 
gets  to  be  so  much  of  a  habit  that  we  forget  to  call  attention 
to  the  encouraging  features.  Parents  like  to  hear  pleasant 
things  about  their  children.  It  may  be  worth  while  some- 
times to  sit  down  in  cold  blood  and  write  a  note  to  a  parent 
expressing  your  satisfaction  in  the  excellent  work  that  the 
child  is  doing. 

A  teacher  received  a  class  of  twenty.  They  were  all  new 
to  her  and  the  parents  were  all  strangers.  Within  two  weeks 
she  had  written  a  personal  note  to  each  mother.  These 
notes  were  not  dictated  to  the  school  stenographer  nor  were 
they  all  of  a  pattern,  but  were  written  with  her  own  hand 
on  her  own  characteristic  stationery,  and  were  as  individual 
as  she  could  make  them  from  what  information  she  had 
gathered  concerning  the  children  and  their  homes. 

The  results  surprised  even  the  writer,  for  every  note 
elicited  either  a  pleasant  response  or  a  personal  call,  and 


RELATION  TO  PARENTS  71 

she  always  felt  that  she  got  a  little  nearer  this  class  than 
she  had  to  any  of  its  predecessors. 

It  once  became  necessary  to  inform  the  parents  of  sev- 
eral members  of  the  senior  class  in  a  certain  high  school 
that  the  work  of  these  pupils  had  not  been  strong  enough 
to  admit  of  their  being  graduated  at  the  time  expected. 
The  teacher,  whose  duty  it  was  to  write  these  notes,  took 
them  to  the  principal  for  criticism  before  she  mailed  them. 

After  reading  he  remarked,  "You  have  said  an  unpleas- 
ant thing  so  well  that  I  should  think  these  parents  would 
feel  honored  because  their  children  are  going  to  be  allowed 
to  stay  longer  in  school." 

There  is  vast  difference  in  the  power  of  individuals  to 
write  these  personal  notes  so  that  they  will  bring  results; 
to  some  it  comes  naturally,  as  do  gracious  speech  and 
manners.  The  ability  to  write  letters  of  this  sort  should 
be  cultivated,  for  it  can  be  made  a  great  source  of  help 
in  strengthening  the  bond  between  home  and  school. 

In  these  days  a  large  number  of  homes  can  be  reached 
by  telephone  and  frequent  use  of  this  means  of  communica- 
tion can  be  made  of  great  value.     If  a  girl 
or  boy  is  absent,  telephone  a  friendly  inquiry   Telephone 
as  soon  as  possible.    The  assumption  is  that  the 
absence  is  because  of  illness  or  some  other  serious  cause.     If 
such  is  the  case  you  will  be  surprised  to  see  how  deeply  your 
interest  will  be  appreciated.     If,  as  sometimes  happens,  the 
absence  is  without  knowledge  or  consent,  then  you  and  the 
home  are  at  once  ready  to  deal  with  the  matter  in  harmony. 

If  a  telephone  is  not  a  part  of  the  school  equipment,  then 
the  same  result  can  be  obtained  through  writing,  although 
the  process  is  slower.  In  any  event,  the  quicker  you  can 
get  into  communication  with  the  parent  the  better. 

Now  and  then  a  word  of  dissatisfaction  is  brought  about 


72  THE  TEACHER 

by  unfavorable  formal  reports.  Do  not  take  offense  at  this 
and  withdraw  upon  your  wounded  dignity :  learn  rather 
to  consider  this  an  opportunity  and  make  the 
interviews  most  of  it.  Such  a  murmur  is  an  opening  for 
a  personal  interview  with  the  parent.  It  may 
be  necessary  to  make  some  exertion  to  bring  this  about, 
but  make  it:  do  not  cease  your  efforts  until  you  come  face 
to  face  with  the  disaffected.  That  accomplished,  your 
attitude  should  always  be  that  of  the  individual  who  is 
seeking  only  the  best  interests  of  the  child.  The  parent 
must  first  be  made  to  feel  the  honesty  of  the  teacher's 
position ;  too  often  he  has  no  faith  in  that  at  the  beginning 
of  the  interview. 

If  the  parent  is  angry,  impassioned,  and  rude,  the  de- 
mand upon  you  for  quiet  courtesy  is  the  more  impera- 
tive. Strident  tones  are  soon  modified  by  quiet  answering 
ones.  Anger  and  irritation  will  yield  to  evident  kindly 
feeling.  Then  you  have  made  headway  and  are  ready 
to  discuss  matters. 

In  this  discussion  never  compromise  truth.  Tell  it  fear- 
lessly even  though  you  know  it  will  not  please  the  ear  of 
your  listener.  Often  you  will  have  to  state  facts  of  which 
father  or  mother  has  no  knowledge,  for  the  teacher  fre- 
quently sees  qualities  in  the  child  which  are  not  revealed 
at  home.  On  the  other  hand,  the  parent  will  tell  you  things 
about  the  child  which  will  throw  an  entirely  new  light  upon 
his  attitude  at  school.  Perhaps  you  will  begin  the  interview 
with  a  complete  justification  of  your  treatment  of  the 
pupil  and  of  what  the  school  is  doing  for  him.  It  will 
often  happen  that  a  frank  talk  will  end  with  some  modifica- 
tion of  this  position.  The  person  who  is  big  enough  to 
take  the  view-point  of  the  other  will  usually,  in  an  unim- 


RELATION  TO  PARENTS  73 

passioned  survey  of  his  own  action,  find  some  things  to 
criticize.  It  is  always  good  to  see  ourselves  as  others  see 
us,  and  the  parent  who  comes  to  us  in  anger  often  gives 
us  a  pretty  clear  glimpse  of  ourselves  in  the  mirror  held 
before  us. 

An  interview  with  a  parent,  if  rightly  conducted,  ought 
to  leave  that  parent  your  friend,  convinced  of  your  inten- 
tion of  doing  for  the  child  the  best  in  your  power.  It 
should  send  him  away  with  a  decided  purpose  to  assist  you 
in  every  possible  way. 

On  your  part  you  will  be  conscious  of  added  interest  in 
that  particular  child,  for  you  will  know  him  better ;  you 
will  have  for  him  increased  patience  and  fuller  understand- 
ing. The  mistakes  previously  made  in  dealing  with  him 
will  be  corrected  in  the  light  of  this  new  knowledge. 

The  habit  on  the  part  of  parents  of  visiting  schools  is 
becoming  less  and  less  common.     It  is  rare  for  father  or 
mother  to  come  to  the  building  with  the  avowed 
intention    of    spending   time    enough    to    visit    parents™"1 
classes  or  to  get  any  intelligent  idea  of  what 
the  school  is  really  accomplishing.    Parents  frequently  claim 
that  this  is  the  fault  of  the  schools  and  the  teachers ;    that 
they  have  been  made  to  feel  that  their  presence  interferes 
with  the  routine  of  the  work  and  that  teachers  are  annoyed 
by  such  interruptions. 

How  much  of  this  is  true  ?    If  any,  is  the  condition  right  ? 

School  is  a  busy  place  and  teachers  have  little  time  to 
devote  to  entertaining  visitors,  but  that  is  not  what  the 
visitor  wants.  -  His  desire  is  to  see  the  school  running  natu- 
rally, just  as  though  no  one  from  the  outside  were  there. 

Make  a  visiting  parent  sure  that  he  is  welcome ;  give 
him  a  seat  that  commands  a  good  view  of  the  room ;    go 


74  THE  TEACHER 

about  your  business  without  apology,  and  then  forget 
the  visitor.  The  occasions  will  be  rare  when  the  guest 
will  not  be  interested  and  far  outstay  the  time  planned. 

A  mother  once  called  at  the  door  of  a  certain  high  school 
to  leave  a  message  for  her  son.  The  teacher  in  charge 
invited  her  to  come  in. 

"Do  you  really  want  me?"  asked  the  lady,  in  surprise. 

"Certainly  I  do.     Why  shouldn't  I?" 

"Why,  I  always  thought  that  teachers  never  wanted  vis- 
itors in  the  high  school.  I  used  to  go  when  my  boy  was 
in  the  grades,  but  I  felt  that  now  I  should  be  in  the  way." 

Assured  of  her  welcome,  she  ventured  in  with  the  inten- 
tion of  remaining  a  few  minutes.  She  was  given  a  seat 
and  the  teacher  went  about  her  work,  now  and  then  explain- 
ing some  phase  of  it  or  chatting  with  her  guest  as  oppor- 
tunity offered.  The  few  minutes  extended  to  an  hour  and 
when  time  for  the  noon  recess  came,  the  mother  was  still 
there.  She  accepted  the  invitation  to  stay  to  the  luncheon 
served  to  the  school,  expressing  herself  as  glad  to  see 
another  feature  of  the  daily  routine.  She  went  back  with 
the  teacher  and  remained  through  the  entire  afternoon 
session. 

"I  suppose,"  said  the  lady  at  its  close,  "there  is  nothing 
left  for  me  to  do  now  but  go  home." 

"Yes,"  said  the  teacher  smiling,  "you  can  go  with  me 
to  the  field  and  watch  the  baseball  game.  We  have  an 
important  one  this  afternoon." 

They  went,  and  when  the  mother  left  for  home  at  six 
o'clock  it  was  with  a  very  different  idea  of  both  school 
and  teacher. 

There    are    numberless    parents    who    would    find    equal 
pleasure  in  the  same  opportunity,  but  they  do  not  know    "j 
how  to  open  it  for  themselves.     It  must  be  true  that,  in 


RELATION  TO  PARENTS  75 

some  strange  way,  the  barriers  have  been  put  up  against 
visitors.  At  least  it  is  true  that  parents  in  general  feel 
that  they  are  not  welcome. 

The  teacher  who  succeeds  in  breaking  down  this  idea  and 
convinces  the  public  that  the  schools  are  theirs  and  at  all 
times  open  to  them,  has  greatly  strengthened  both  her  posi- 
tion and  her  influence  in  the  community. 

The  reflex  influence  upon  the  teacher  of  such  visits  as 
the  one  mentioned  above  is  also  of  great  value.     Left  alone 
any  school,  any  teacher,  no  matter  how  good,    Effect  of 
inevitably  settles  into  a  routine  and  loses  sensi-    u'pSons  the 
tiveness  to  existing  conditions.     Many  things    Teacher 
pass  unnoticed  and  the  school  insensibly  sinks  below  its  best. 

What  teacher  ever  had  a  chance  visitor  that  she  failed 
to  discover  something  that  she  wished  was  different?  It 
may  be  a  very  little  thing,  so  trivial  as  to  escape  the  notice 
of  anyone  else,  or  it  may  be  really  of  vital  importance,  a 
fault  that  has  unconsciously  crept  into  the  day,  but  viewed 
in  the  presence  of  another  person,  it  becomes  clearly  evident 
and  cries  aloud  for  correction.  That  correction  soon  fol- 
lows and  the  visitor,  merely  by  his  presence,  has  become  an 
unconscious  benefactor,  a  reformer. 

There    are    certain    public    opportunities    for    bringing 

schools  and  parents  together.     All  these  should  be  studied 

and  made  to  yield  good  results  in  the  direction    _     „ 
J  to       ,  Public 

of  closer  personal  relations.  Opportu- 

.  ...  nities 

The  opening  of  a  new  building  is  one  such 

opportunity.     It  can  be  made  a  sort  of  house-warming  with 
a  strong  personal  element  infused  into  it. 

This  was  successfully  done  by  a  high  school  a  few  years 
ago.  The  building  was  decorated  with  flowers  and  bril- 
liantly lighted.  A  route  was  carefully  planned  for  which 
the  older  boys  acted  as  guides.     These  did  not  move  about, 


76  THE  TEACHER 

but  had  fixed  positions  and  passed  the  crowd  on  from  one 
to  the  next.  At  each  door  a  guide  was  stationed  who  gave 
the  name  of  the  teacher  occupying  the  room  and  the  sub j  ect 
taught. 

Each  teacher  was  in  his  or  her  room  to  receive  the  guests 
and  to  talk  personally  with  them.  Numberless  parents  saw, 
for  the  first  time,  teachers  whose  names  had  been  familiar 
for  months,  and  teachers  met  parents  in  a  way  to  make  both 
feel  that  a  foundation  had  been  laid  upon  which  future  help- 
fulness could  be  built. 

Manual  training  has  come  into  its  own  in  many  places. 
Exhibitions  of  this  work  follow  naturally  and  the  parents 
come  eagerly  to  inspect  the  concrete  results.  Most  of  these 
parents  may  be  strangers  to  the  teachers,  but  isolate  any 
particular  table,  chair,  or  bookcase,  and  the  man  and  woman 
viewing  it  with  expressions  of  satisfied  admiration  are  pretty 
sure  to  be  the  father  and  mother  of  the  child  who  made  it. 
A  little  quiet  watching  will  verify  this  intimation,  after 
which  the  teacher  should  make  himself  known  and  then  lead 
the  conversation  where  he  will. 

Some  schools  find  it  valuable  to  institute  parents'  days; 
now  and  then  to  have  a  special  programme  to  which  the 
parents  are  invited  informally.  In  fact,  any  expedient  that 
is  effective  in  bringing  home  and  school  into  close  and 
harmonious  contact,  should  be  used  to  the  fullest  extent. 

Each  locality,  each  community,  will  offer  different  oppor- 
tunities which  the  alert,  tactful  teacher  will  be  able  to  turn 
to  good  account. 

The  ability  to  do  this  is  another  measure  of  the  individual. 


CHAPTER  VII 

PERSONALITY  AND  POISE 

The  greatest  need  of  the  schools  today  is  more  teacheis 
of  right  personality.  You  may  plan  courses  of  stud}',  you 
may  demand  college  degrees  or  insist  upon  special  work  in 
pedagogy,  you  may  set  up  all  kinds  of  artificial  standards, 
yet,  in  the  end,  if  this  element  of  right  personality  is  lack- 
ing, there  is  little  left.  It  is  the  subtlest  of  subtle  qualities. 
It  defies  definition ;  it  eludes  description  and  yet  the  power 
of  it  is  greater  than  that  of  any  or  all  other  powers  that 
enter  into  human  activities.  From  experience  all  appreciate 
what  this  personality  means ;  all  recognize  its  force  when 
coming  in  contact  with  it. 

The    personality    of   one    individual    may    be    charming 
and   attractive ;   that   of   another   unattractive, 
repellent,  or  ineffective — neutral.  Personalty 

Effectiveness    in    school    work    is    in    direct 
ratio  to  the  power  and  charm  of  the  teacher, — to  the  beauty 
and  force  of  personality. 

Several  years  ago  the  "Inlander,"  a  paper  published  by 
students  of  the  University  of  Michigan,  sent  out  a  circular 
letter  to  a  number  of  its  graduates  who  had  attained  more 
or  less  prominence.  Among  other  things,  the  letter  asked 
these  graduates  what  had  counted  for  the  most  in  its 
influence  upon  their  college  careers. 

A  man  who  has  won  an  enviable  name  for  himself  in  lit- 
erature wrote  one  thing  worth  quoting: 

"What  did  I  study  in  college?     I  can't  remember.     But 

77 


78  THE  TEACHER 

I  remember  the  men  under  whom  I  worked.  The  subjects 
were  evanescent,  unimportant ;  the  influence  of  the  men 
lasting." 

The  personality  of  no  two  persons  can  ever  be  the  same. 
Two  people  may  be  the  antipodes  in  characteristics  and 
Difference  in  yet  the  individuality  of  each  be  pleasing  and 
personalities  effective.  One  star  differs  from  another  star 
in  glory,  although  each  may  shine  with  marked 
brilliancy  in  its  own  constellation. 

A  pleasing  personality  reveals  itself  in  certain  externals. 
All  that  has  been  said  of  dress  and  of  the  care  of  the  person, 
has  an  important  bearing  here.  First  impres- 
Externais  sions  come  necessarily  from  these  same  exter- 
nals. The  original  picture  of  a  stranger 
persists  in  the  mind  and  from  that  picture  an  estimate  of 
the  individual  is  made.  There  is  good  reason  for  this,  too, 
for  these  things  are  exponents  of  the  personality  that  lies 
behind  them. 

A  slovenly,  unkempt  appearance  does  not  go  with  the 
nature  born  to  be  a  leader.  Genius  may  burn  in  the  brain 
beneath  tumbled  hair,  inspiration  throb  in  the  heart  that 
beats  under  an  untidy  gown,  shoes  run  down  at  the  heel 
may  climb  poetic  heights,  but  personal  carelessness  cannot 
belong  to  the  individual  who  expects  to  exert  an  all-around 
strong,  uplifting  influence  upon  human  beings  in  the  mass. 
The  ego,  the  person  that  you  really  are,  is  bound  to 
shine  through  and  cast  its  reflections  upon  your  surround- 
ings. 
•mgsr°Und"  ^^e  very  school-room  shows  the  effect  of  the 

individual ;  the  walls,  the  sunshine,  take  on  a 
different  quality  and  the  faces  of  the  children  in  a  room 
dominated  by  the  right  personality  turn  constantly  to  the 


PERSONALITY  AND  POISE  79 

light,  which  is  the  teacher,  just  as  the  sunflowers  follow  the 
sun.     Such  a  room  we  say  has  an  atmosphere. 

The  word  atmosphere,  in  this  sense,  is  as  difficult  of  defi- 
nition as  personality.  It  is  a  quality  which  we  feel  rather 
than  recognize  intellectually.  It  is  the  quality  that  per- 
vades the  habitation  of  some  friend,  to  which  you  love  to 
go  at  all  times.  There  you  are  made  to  feel  at  home, 
there  you  are  left  alone  to  the  resting  of  mind  and  body. 
Here  there  is  always  order  and  peace, — a  charming 
atmosphere. 

There  are  other  homes  which  carry  no  such  appeal,  which 
one  enters  with  a  feeling  of  restraint  and  in  which  the 
real  individual  never  quite  comes  honestly  to  the  surface. 

Merely  putting  certain  pictures  upon  the  wall,  adding 
plants,  flowers,  or  other  ornaments,  will  not,  in  itself,  put 
into  any  room  the  desired  atmosphere.  Many  a  house  fur- 
nished by  a  professional  is  in  perfect  taste  and  yet  utterly 
devoid  of  the  home  feeling,  of  atmosphere.  The  strong 
personality  must  and  does  make  itself  felt  upon  inanimate 
things  regardless  of  their  intrinsic  value.  In  fact,  per- 
sonality has  no  commerce  and  no  need  of  commerce  with 
values  as  estimated  by  the  average  cost  price. 

"That  house  is  a  horror,"  said  one  woman  to  another  as 
they  left  a  certain  so-called  home. 

"But,"  was  the  answer  of  the  second  woman,  "those  people 
have  very  little  money  to  spend  and  they  can't  afford 
expensive  things." 

That  isn't  what  I  mean  at  all,"  came  the  quick  retort. 
One  might  put  you  into  a  bare  room  with  only  a  table 
and  two  wooden  chairs  for  furniture,  and  in  half  an  hour 
the  place  would  have  an  air." 

A  certain  amount  of  what  is  in  one  is  bound  to  appear 


a 


80  THE  TEACHER 

in  external  surroundings ;  more  may  appear  if  the  teacher 
is  entirely  natural.  There  are  countless  touches  that  will 
illuminate  the  too  frequent  barrenness  of  daily  school  lif© 
if  the  teacher  will  let  herself  shine  out. 

A  certain  school-room  was  not  especially  well  situated  for 

pleasant    outlook.      The   teacher   to    whose    lot    this    room 

fell  received  much  sympathy  from  the  others 

School -Room    because  she  had  to  take  such  a  dismal  location; 

but  within   a   few  weeks   the   room  was   voted 

by  all  to  be  the  most  attractive  in  the  school. 

The  building  was  set  against  a  hill,  so  the  whole  long 
east  side  of  the  room  was  partly  below  ground,  with  win- 
dows at  least  four  feet  from  the  floor.  The  wide  ledge 
made  a  fine  place  for  ferns  and  a  few  plants  that  needed 
little  strong  light,  while  gold  fish  shimmered  and  shone 
and  swam  in  a  bowl  of  water  crystal  clear.  In  the  south 
windows  geraniums  flaunted  their  scarlet  blossoms.  Corner 
book-shelves,  with  well-dusted  books  evenly  placed,  with 
their  various-hued  bindings,  gave  a  bit  of  color  like  that 
of  an  oriental  rug.  A  bust  and  a  running  vine  on  top  of 
the  shelves  caught  the  e3Te  pleasantly.  At  the  side  of  the 
book-shelves  was  a  wide  window-seat  and  the  teacher  had 
dared  to  pile  this  full  of  bright  red  pillows.  This  was  an 
unconventional  thing  to  do,  and,  in  the  minds  of  some,  a 
tempting  of  Providence,  but  the  pillows  remained  there 
unmolested,  and  the  corner  became  a  favorite  spot  for  close 
personal  consultation  with  the  teacher. 

The  pictures,  few  in  number,  were  all  good  ones,  show- 
ing in  full  effect  against  the  yellow  wall.  There  were  cut 
flowers  in  abundance,  varying  with  the  season. 

"Why  do  you  always  have  so  many  flowers?"  was  the 
question  of  another  teacher. 


PERSONALITY  AND  POISE  81 

It  took  her  a  few  minutes  to  think  out  the  reason,  and 
even  then  she  was  not  quite  sure. 

"I  wonder  if  it  isn't  because  I  really  am  fond  of  flow- 
ers, and  let  the  boys  and  girls  know  that  I  am.  When- 
ever they  bring  me  anything,  I  take  care  of  it,  and  put 
even  a  single  flower  into  water  immediately  and  never 
allow  a  bunch  to  wither  disregarded  on  my  desk." 

She  had  touched  the  secret.  She  cared  for  flowers,  and 
showed  that  she  did,  and  the  children  found  great  pleasure 
in  keeping  her  well  supplied.  She  had  revealed  to  them 
this  attractive  side  of  her  personality. 

It  never  does  any  harm  to  let  individual  tastes  appear 
in  the  school-room.  So  far  as  possible,  one  should  be 
the  same  person  there  as  elsewhere. 

Another  teacher  was  so  completely  herself  in  the  school- 
room that  she  met  her  school  as  she  would  meet  an  indi- 
vidual.     If  something:  interesting*  came  under    _ 

,  .  ,  Taking 

her  observation,  she  spoke  of  it  as  she  would    Things 

'  ^  Naturally 

to  a  friend,  informally  and  naturally.  Some- 
times she  broke  the  routine  by  reading  a  paragraph  or  a 
page  from  something  that  she  cared  about.  She  did  not 
do  this  as  a  formal  matter,  but  would  frequently  say,  in  a 
conversational  tone,  without  rising  from  her  chair,  "Here  is 
something  you  will  like  to  know  about."  They  became  so 
used  to  these  rather  unusual  ways  that  this  teacher  could  do 
almost  anything  and  not  arouse  surprise. 

Into  the  school-room  there  wandered  one  day  a  valuable 
hunting  dog.  The  teacher  was  near  the  door,  hearing  a 
recitation.  She  knew  herself  and  her  school,  and  judged 
the  nature  of  the  dog  correctly,  so  she  did  not  drive  the 
animal  out,  but  went  on  with  the  business  in  hand.  The 
dog  walked  about  her  in  a  friendly  way,  evidently  waiting 


82  THE  TEACHER 

for  the  encouraging  pat  upon  the  head  which  he  received. 
Content  with  that,  he  lay  down  quietly  at  her  feet  and  slept 
through  the  rest  of  the  period. 

It  developed  later  that  the  dog  belonged  to  one  of  the 
boys  in  the  class,  who  enjoyed  the  visit  of  his  canine  friend 
and  appreciated  the  treatment  which  he  received.  The 
next  morning,  a  pleasant  episode  illustrated  the  friendly 
relation  existing  between  teacher  and  pupil.  She  found 
upon  her  desk  a  pair  of  wild  ducks,  with  the  following 
note: 

"My  dog  told  me  last  night  that  he  called  at  school 
today  and  had  a  very  nice  visit.  He  said  you  were  so 
good  to  him  that  he  thinks  you  ought  to  have  some  of 
the  ducks  which  we  got  on  our  hunting  trip  Saturday." 
The  note  was  signed  by  the  dog's  master. 
The  teacher  who  could  call  forth  such  a  half-playful 
and  at  the  same  time  so  dignified  an  attitude  has  evinced 
the  power  of  a  worthy  personality  capable  of  human  rela- 
tions even  in  the  school-room. 

Years  ago,  in  another  school,  a  dog  was  in  daily  attend- 
ance. His  owner  was  obliged  to  earn  his  own  living,  which 
he  did  in  .the  capacity  of  newsboy.  The  early  morning 
found  him  at  the  hotel  waiting  for  the  Chicago  papers, 
and  by  four  o'clock  he  was  started  on  his  route,  with  his 
dog  close  at  heel. 

If  by  chance  they  were  separated  when  the  school  bell 
rang,  the  dog  responded  to  his  summons  and  the  school 
paid  no  more  attention  to  his  entrance  than  to  that  of  one 
of  the  pupils. 

There  come  to  mind  other  schools  with  other  dogs  who 
played  their  part  in  regular  recitations,  allied  themselves 
with  all  the  regular  athletic  activities,  proving  themselves 
good  comrades   and   playfellows.      In   another  study-room 


PERSONALITY  AND  POISE  83 

hung  a  canary,  trilling  its  song  at  will.     And  so  the  story 
might  go  on. 

If  the  horned  toads,  chameleons,  white  rats,  tame 
squirrels,  pet  rabbits,  and  other  strange  creatures  of  the 
woods  that  find  their  way  into  various  school-rooms,  should 
be  assembled,  the  menagerie  would  be  an  interesting  one ; 
if  the  teachers  of  those  same  schools  could  be  brought 
together,  they  would  prove  to  be  women  of  strong  and 
attractive  personalities.  The  weak  individual  is  never  equal 
to  the  unusual  condition,  be  it  so  slight  a  deviation  from 
the  conventional  as  the  occasional  wandering  into  the  room 
of  a  stray  dog. 

A  class  will  work  hard  for  one  teacher  and  be  merely 
time-servers  or  worse  for  another.      They   may  be  angels 
of  light  in  one  room  and  be  transformed  into 
imps  of  darkness  the  moment  they  pass  under    {J c wort? 
the  control  of  another  individual.     The  second 
one  will  be  sure  to  charge  all  misdeeds  and  all  disorder  to 
the  natural   depravity   of  the   children,   but   the   cases   are 
few  and  far  between  where  the  blame  can  honestly  be  laid 
at  the  door  of  anvone  but  the  teacher.      Often  the  fault 
may  not  be   anything  that   she   does,   but   all   in   the  way 
she  does  it,  that  way  being  the  involuntary  expression  of 
her  personality. 

There  is  a  power  in  personality  strengthened  by  certain 

other  qualities  that  enables  a  person  to  do  almost  anything 

with  school  or  individuals. 

Dominance 

A  teacher  in  charge  of  an  assembly-room  in    of  Right 

0  ,  J  m  Personality 

a  large  high  school  had  attained  such  influence. 

No   matter   if   her   punishments   or   her   commands   seemed 

illogical   or   unnecessary,   such   was   the   confidence   of   the 

pupils    in   her   attitude   toward    them   that    although   they 

might  often  be  surprised,  they  were  never  stirred  to  anger 


84  THE  TEACHER 

or  opposition,  for  they  were  sure  there  was  somewhere  a 
good  reason  for  her  action  even  if  it  were  not  evident  to 
them. 

One  day  a  girl  flounced  into  the  room  in  a  state  of  anger, 
scolding  audibly  to  those  walking  near  her. 

"Nora,  come  to  me,"  the  teacher  called.  "Why  are  you 
so  angry?" 

"Miss  M was  awfully  mean  to  me,"  said  the  girl ; 

and  then  she  repeated  the  offending  words  of  the  teacher, 
who  had  a  reputation  for  showing  needless  and  unreasonable 
irritation. 

"Why,  Nora !"  exclaimed  the  teacher,  "I  have  said  much 
severer  things  to  you." 

"I  know  it,"  replied  the  girl.  "You  might  call  me  a  fool 
and  I  shouldn't  get  angi^,  for  I  should  know  that  you 
probably  knew  what  you  were  talking  about." 

The  strength  of  personality,  like  other  forces,  is  esti- 
mated by  the  distance  over  which  it  is  powerfully  operative. 
It  is  comparatively  easy  to  make  one's  self  felt  when  in  the 
immediate  presence  of  those  whom  one  desires  to  bring  to 
a  certain  course  of  action,  but  to  do  this  without  the  aid  of 
personal  contact  is  more  difficult. 

This  power  of  personality,  if  it  works  out  to  the  good 
of  the  school  and  of  the  individuals  composing  it,  can  be 
made  effective  at  long  range.  The  first  step  toward  this 
result  is  to  create  in  the  pupils  perfect  confidence  in  the 
reasonableness  of  the  teacher's  request,  a  sort  of  "the  king 
can  do  no  wrong"  idea.     This  accomplished,  the  rest  follows 

naturally. 

There  were  two  hundred  in  a  certain  assembly-room. 
Just  as  they  were  coming  together  at  noon,  a  church  across 
the  way  took  fire  and  it  seemed  wise  not  to  allow  the  pupils 
to  enter  their  own  building.     It  was  a  big  fire,  lasting  a 


PERSONALITY  AND  POISE  85 

long  time,  and  the  logical  conclusion  was  that  the  school 
would  not  assemble  that  afternoon. 

Toward  the  end  of  the  session  time,  however,  the  danger 
was  over  and  one  teacher  thought  she  would  put  to  the 
test  the  range  of  her  influence.  The  pupils  were  scattered 
over  several  blocks.  To  those  nearest  the  building  she 
said  that  they  might  come  to  the  study-room  for  a  few 
minutes,  and  she  asked  these  to  spread  the  message.  At  the 
end  of  fifteen  minutes  the  entire  roomful  of  two  hundred, 
with  the  exception  of  two  girls,  who  had  been  seen  running 
home  as  fast  as  their  feet  could  carry  them,  were  in  their 
seats.  She  had  merely  sent  out  a  personal  request,  but,  as 
the  principal  remarked  in  speaking  of  it,  "Hers  was  a  name 
to  conjure  with." 

Not  everyone  can  bring  a  whole  school  back  from  a  fire; 
not  everyone  should  attempt  such  things. 

Find  the  limits  of  your  own  personality  and  then  let  all 

of  it  vibrate  through  your  school-room.     Certain  things 

are   possible  to   a  teacher   of  one   personality 

r  T«i  Keep    to 

that  should  never  be  attempted  bv  a  different    Your  own 

x  "  Personality 

one.  The  stronger  the  nature  the  less  conven- 
tional may  be  the  attitude.  Only  large  natures  can  do 
things  in  a  big  way,  and  woe  betide  the  smaller  individual 
who  attempts  to  follow  through  imitation  only,  where  the 
personality  of  a  greater  nature  leads.  The  might}'  ship 
can  sail  the  wide  ocean,  but  the  safety  of  the  tiny  craft  is 
in  hugging  the  shore  line. 

A  certain  high  school  had  a  principal  of  most  unusual 
personality.  It  would  be  difficult  to  describe  him  to  a 
stranger.  He  was  a  powerful  teacher,  always  inspiring,  but 
intolerant  of  neglect  of  work.  He  stood  before  that  school 
in  an  attitude  of  supreme  manliness  that  settled  all  question 
of  discipline  easily — these  were  always  for  other  teachers, 


86  THE  TEACHER 

for  he  never  had  any  of  his  own — and  exacted  from  girls 
and  boys  the  best  there  was  in  them.  He  could  give  the 
severest  reproof  without  offense  and,  without  loss  of 
authority  or  devotion,  could  do  countless  other  things 
impossible  for  anyone  else.  The  respect  and  love  in  which 
he  was  held,  based  upon  experience  and  traditions  oft 
repeated,  enabled  them  to  understand  his  every  word  and 
deed. 

A  boy  named  Trowbridge  was  a  favorite  with  everybody, 
but  he  did  not  take  kindly  to  study.  He  worked  when  he 
had  to  and  had  a  mind  capable  of  good  things,  but  he  had 
to  be  driven  to  them. 

The  principal,  in  the  Greek  class,  had  showered  abuse, 
satire,  and  encouragement  upon  him,  without  effect,  but 
finally  he  gave  a  master  stroke. 

A  boy  who  was  an  average  student  was  on  his  feet  and 
questions  were  being  fired  at  him  with  the  rapidity  of  a 
gatling  gun. 

"I  don't  know,"  the  boy  responded  to  one  of  them. 

"What !  don't  you  know  that  ?"  was  the  quick  retort. 
"Why,  even  Trowbridge  knows  that!" 

According  to  all  known  rules  of  pedagogy,  this  was 
wrong,  but  this  man  was  great  enough  to  be  a  law  unto 
himself.  Everyone  in  the  class  knew  that  from  the  top 
of  the  big  building  to  the  bottom  there  was  no  one  more 
ready  with  sympathy,  more  just  in  his  judgments,  more 
ready  to  help  all  who  needed  help  than  this  same  man  who 
uttered  this  seemingly  cutting  remark.  Because  they  read 
his  heart  and  not  his  words,  the  remark  was  robbed  of  all 
possible  sting.  Would  that  the  teaching  force  were  blessed 
with  more  men  like  him — real  men  and  not  just  school 
teachers ! 


PERSONALITY  AND  POISE  87 

Imagine  what  would  have  happened  if  a  man  of  feeble 
personality  had  said  this  thing ;  imagine  any  other  teacher 
attempting  to  imitate  the  methods  of  this  man ! 

A  strong  personality   of  the  type  to   exert  controlling 
influence  usually  has,  as  one  leading  characteristic,  excel- 
lent poise.      The  weak  nature   goes  to  pieces    Poise  an 
under  storm  and  stress,  and  no  school  can  escape    firing"*  °f 
such  periods.      Sometimes  it  is  the  little  nag-    Personallty 
ging,  tormenting,  unimportant  things  that  come  tumbling 
upon  the  nerves  one  after  another  that  bring  one  to  the 
snapping  point.      But  this    snapping  point   is   what   must 
be  avoided.     "Mistress  of  herself  though  China  fall,"  is  the 
only  safe  attitude  of  the  teacher  who  would  rise  to  real 
greatness. 

Does  anvone  for  a  moment  think  that  this  is  easv?  Look 
at  this  picture ;  not  a  teacher  will  fail  to  recognize  it. 

A   warm,   muggy    afternoon    in   June.      No    refreshing 
breeze  floats   through   windows   open   wide   in   hope   of   it. 
Warm,    sticky    hands    cling    listlessly    to    for- 
gotten books  or  beat  nerve-racking  tattoo  upon    picture 'ar 
desk.     Feet  shuffle  and  scrape  the  floor ;    now 
a  book  falls  with  a  crash,  or  an  audible  "Quit  that !"  or  "Cut 
it  out !"  bursts  from  lips  of  boy  suffering  from  tiny  tor- 
ment of  his  neighbor.     There  is  a  frown  on  every  brow,  a 
strained  note  in  every  voice.     In  no  place  can  the  teacher 
detect  any  particular  disorder,   nowhere  any  marked  out- 
break, but  the  restless,  uneasy,  noisy  assembly  is  far  removed 
from  the  ideal  of  a  well-conducted  school.     The  teacher  is 
a  human  being,  too,  and  affected  by  the  same  conditions 
operative  upon  the  wriggling  mass  before  her. 

The  easy  way  is  that  of  irritable  reproof,  of  impatient 
word  ;  the  right  way  is  that  of  self-restraint,  of  poise.    This 


88  THE  TEACHER 

requires  clear  vision  and  great  self-mastery.  Irritability  on 
the  part  of  the  teacher  will  only  increase  the  irritation  of 
the  children,  and  that  is  already  too  great. 

But  to  this  necessary  poise  on  the  part  of  the  teacher 

must  be  added  a  remedy.     The  ability  to  find  and  apply  it 

is  also  one  of  the  attributes  of  right  personality 

Remedy  and  good  Poise' 

The  remedy   should  be   sought  in   complete 

change.     The  schedule  may  direct  that  at  this  time  every 

little  mind  be  absorbed  in  discovering  how  many  hours  it 

will  take  a  frog  to  get  out  of  a  well  twenty-seven  feet  deep, 

if  each  hour  he  climb  three  feet  and  drop  back  two  feet. 

Of  course  the  solution  of  this  particular  problem  is  vital, 

but  if  the  conditions  are  such  that  the  frog  will  not  even 

jump,  what  is  the  use  of  peering  listlessly  into  the  well? 

Probably  physical  activity  is  necessary.  Try  taking  off 
all  restraint  for  a  few  minutes.  If  you  are  fortunate  enough 
to  be  in  a  country  school  and  not  a  part  of  a  vast  system, 
turn  the  children  out  of  doors  even  if  it  isn't  time  for 
recess.  Give  them  perfect  freedom  to  run  and  yell.  Let 
the  boys  tumble  each  other  around  like  so  many  puppies. 
The  psychological  effect  of  the  proceeding  may  not  be 
clear  to  you,  but  it  is  there  and  will  show  results  when  you 
get  back  into  the  school-room. 

You  might  also  try  holding  the  rest  of  the  school  ses- 
sion out  of  doors  if  you  have  the  right  hold  upon  the 
pupils  and  do  not  need  the  restraining  help  of  four  walls. 

If  town  or  city  deprive  you  of  this  perfect  freedom,  there 
are  still  great  possibilities  if  you  are  keen  to  catch  them. 
The  fire  engines  may  go  past.  I  have  known  them  to  just 
when  they  were  needed.  What  a  blessing !  The  minute 
or  two  at  the  windows — you  haven't  the  right  grip  on  your 
school  if  you  dare  not  let  them  go — will  quicken  circulation 


PERSONALITY  AND  POISE  89 

and  return  the  children  to  their  seats  with  deeper  drawn 
breath  and  some  of  the  cobwebs  brushed  from  the  brain. 

It  was  springtime  and  the  weather  yet  cool,  but  there 
was  no  life  in  the  air  because  the  ventilation  was  insufficient. 
The  teacher  called  one  of  the  older  boys  and  gave  him 
directions.  Then  she  said  to  the  school,  "We  are  going  to 
play  'Follow  the  Leader,'  with  John  for  leader.  Go  on 
tip-toe  through  the  hall  and  keep  so  still  that  no  one  will 
know  what  we  are  doing." 

John  led  the  school  slowly  through  the  hall  and  out  the 
nearest  way  to  the  big  yard.  There  he  fell  into  a  brisk 
trot  which  he  kept  up  all  around  the  outside  of  the  yard. 
The  school  followed  and  slipped  back  into  their  seats  with 
alertness  showing  in  every  face.  While  they  were  gone, 
every  window  had  been  thrown  open  and  the  air  in  the  room 
was  made  fresh  and  vital. 

Sometimes  a  change  of  mental  activity  may  be  sufficient. 
Try  geography  instead  of  frogs ;  tell  a  story  or  read  one. 
As  in  all  other  school  relations,  the  individual  teacher  must 
find  the  proper  remedy  in  each  individual  case. 

Frequently  the  issues  are  big  ones  and  demand  that  the 

teacher  be  big  enough  to  meet  them.     No  matter  what  the 

provocation  to  the  contrary,  she  must  maintain 

i  o  .  .  at-  Meeting 

her  perfect  poise  and  rise  greater  than  the  situ-    Great 

ation.     The  angry  child  can  be  met  successfully 

only  by  one  superior  to  anger.     Whoever  yields  to  a  fit  of 

temper  sinks  below  the  level  of  the  child  and  loses  control 

of  the  situation.     The  individual  possessed  of  good  poise 

will  be  equal  to  anything,  even  to  open  defiance  of  directions. 

One  experience  of  a  successful  teacher  comes  to  mind. 

The  school  had  returned  to  the  study-room  from  classes 

for  dismissal  at  noon.     There  was  the  usual  stir  attendant 

upon  putting  away  books   and   preparing   for   departure. 


90  THE  TEACHER 

In  one  matter  the  teacher  had  always  been  very  particular. 
Whenever  she  spoke  immediate  and  absolute  attention  was 
expected  and  it  was  usually  promptly  and  willingly  given. 

This  day,  having  some  announcement  to  make,  she  asked 
for  attention.  The  room  was  instantly  quiet,  but  on  the 
front  seat,  Walter  was  paying  no  attention,  but  was  putting 
on  his  rubbers. 

"Walter,  put  down  your  rubbers." 

"I  won't  do  it,"  and  his  big  eyes  looked  as  though  he 
meant  what  he  said. 

It  would  have  been  perfectly  natural  for  the  teacher  to 
have  stopped  then  and  there  to  vindicate  her  authority,  but 
she  realized  that  such  a  course  would  result  in  a  useless  pub- 
lic disagreement.  So,  instead,  she  looked  at  him  for  an 
instant,  turned  to  the  school,  said  what  she  had  to  say,  and 
dismissed  them. 

Then,  stepping  to  the  door,  she  met  Walter  as  he  came 
out,  and  said,  in  a  quiet  tone,  "Come  back  into  the  room 
with  me."  There  was  nothing  in  her  manner  or  voice  to 
arouse  his  antagonism  and,  not  quite  understanding  why 
she  was  not  angry  with  him,  he  looked  at  her  curiously,  but 
obeyed. 

"Walter,"  she  said,  "you  evidently  did  not  understand 
the  spirit  in  which  I  spoke  to  you.  I  did  not  intend  to  com- 
mand arbitrarily,  although  my  words  may  have  sounded  so. 
I  had  asked  for  attention  and  when  you  disregarded  the 
request,  I  had  no  time  to  wait,  so  I  spoke  quickly  to  secure 
your  attention." 

"I  hadn't  heard  what  you  said  before." 

"Then  you  thought  I  was  just  trying  to  show  my 
authority  ?" 

"Yes,  and  I  didn't  propose  to  be  bossed,"  he  answered, 


PERSONALITY  AND  POISE  91 

and  something  of  the   same  defiant  attitude   appeared  in 
voice  and  set  of  shoulders. 

In  the  talk  that  followed  the  teacher  learned  much  about 
the  boy.  He  had  fought  every  inch  of  his  way  in  life 
against  heavy  odds.  He  had  worked  to  clothe  himself  ever 
since  he  was  a  little  fellow,  and  since  he  had  been  in  the 
high  school  he  had  paid  his  board  at  home.  He  had  begun 
by  selling  papers  on  the  street,  then  he  had  carried  a  regu- 
lar route,  and  eventually  had  developed  a  business  of  his 
own  at  a  station  where  the  sale  of  papers  was  large. 

The  training  had  made  him  strong  and  independent,  but 
it  had  also  made  him  suspicious.  He  felt  that  the  world 
was  against  him  and  that  he  must  fight  for  everything  that 
he  had.  He  looked  upon  every  stranger  as  his  natural 
enemy,  and  too  many  had  proven  themselves  such.  This 
teacher  was  almost  a  stranger  to  him,  for  he  was  one  of  a 
large  class  that  had  only  recently  been  assigned  to  her 
room.  He  was  not  in  any  of  her  classes  and  so  opportuni- 
ties for  acquaintance  had  not  come  readily  to  her.  But 
after  this  she  took  pains  to  know  him  well  and  she  soon  felt 
grateful  for  the  mastery  of  self  that  had  made  her  his 
friend  instead  of  his  enemy.  It  taught  her  for  all  time 
that  few  things  are  of  more  value  to  a  teacher  than  perfect 
poise. 

There  is  a  vast  difference  between  the  tremendous  power 
of  high  and  noble  personality  and  the  effect  of  mere  per- 
sonal   influence.     The    former    is    life-giving, 
strength-producing,  inspiring ;  the  latter  is  f  re-    vai'ueate 
quently  enervating,  deadening. 

There  are  occasions  when  it  is  justifiable  and  desirable  to 
bring  a  pupil  to  a  definite  course  of  action  through  the 
power    of   a   dominating   personal    influence.      To    depend 


92  THE  TEACHER 

upon  this  power  too  much  is  not  only  fatal  to  one's  final 
success  but  highly  injurious  to  those  upon  whom  it  is 
exerted. 

A  strong  and  right  personality  reaches  beyond  today  and 
becomes  effective  for  all  days. 

To  be  sure,  it  weaves  itself  in  and  out  and  through  all 
the  little  daily  influences  of  school  life.  It  brings  peace  and 
comfort  and  j  oy  to  each  hour ;  it  smoothes  many  a  trouble, 
avoids  hundreds  of  needless  unpleasant  issues,  it  reaches  with 
its  marvelous  subtle  influence  each  and  every  boy  and  girl 
and  makes  a  school  better  every  day. 

But  the  true,  strong  personality  does  more  than  this. 
Its  influence  is  not  evanescent,  but  is  for  all  time.  To  make 
the  routine  of  school  run  without  friction  and  with  delight 
is  not  a  small  matter,  but  how  vastly  greater  is  it  to  reach 
down  to  the  bigger,  better  things  that  lie  deep  in  every 
human  soul ! 

Here  is  the  ultimate  value  of  a  right  personality :  To  be 
able,  through  the  natural  school  relations,  to  touch  the  very' 
roots  of  these  young  natures,  to  vivify  and  start  to  upward 
growth  the  best  that  lies  dormant  there.  Often  great 
possibilities  exist  in  a  child  all  unsuspected ;  but  under  the 
influence  of  an  inspiring  personality,  they  will  stir  to  life ; 
will  blossom,  and  in  later  years  bear  fruit. 

An  inspiring  teacher  becomes  a  living  model,  the  more 
powerful  the  less  she  knows  that  she  is  one.  She  is  so  busy 
living  with  her  children  truly,  justly,  sympathetically, 
humanly,  that  self -consciousness  will  be  non-existent. 

This  was  the  force  which  the  university  graduate  felt 
when  he  could  not  recall  his  studies,  but  remembered  the 
men.  It  is  this  force  which  swings  back  into  our  memories 
certain  teachers  whom  we  know  now  were  strong  influences 
in  making  us  what  we  are  today.     Often  we  can  recall  the 


PERSONALITY  AND  POISE  93 

picture  when  that  power  first  made  itself  felt  in  the  molding 
of  our  ambitions,  principles,  and  character. 

Various  forms  of  discipline  can  establish  rules  and  keep 
a  school  from  breaking  them.  The  teacher  of  uplifting  per- 
sonality will  touch  the  motive  springs  of  action  in  such  a 
way  as  to  make  rules  largely  unnecessary.  She  will  develop 
in  the  pupils  self-control,  integrity,  consideration  for  others, 
gentleness,  charity,  a  spirit  of  courtesy,  of  helpfulness. 

These  are  qualities  that  will  persist  far  beyond  the  doors 
of  any  school-house.  They  are  permanent  things  of  life 
and  they  are,  after  all,  the  only  things  that  are  really  worth 
while. 

"What  matter  if  we  seek  with  pain 
The  garden  of  the  gods  in  vain 
If,  lured  thereby,  we  climb  to  greet 
Some  wayside  blossom,  Eden  sweet?" 

So  quoted  a  grown  woman  to  her  onetime  teacher. 

"Do  you  remember  teaching  me  that  when  I  was  a  young 
girl?" 

"No,"  said  the  teacher.  "I  remember  the  lines  as  Long- 
fellow's, but  I  don't  remember  ever  teaching  them  to  you." 

"But  you  did,  and  we  talked  a  lot  about  what  they  meant. 
I  have  never  forgotten  the  lines  nor  what  you  said  about 
them.  Even  if  we  never  attain  what  we  strive  for,  if  the 
object  is  worthy,  the  strife  pays.  You  insisted  that  the 
goal  be  nothing  lower  than  the  garden  of  the  gods  if  we 
expected  to  greet  the  wayside  flowers." 

Other  teachers  might  have  directed  the  child  to  memorize 
these  lines,  but  the  personality  of  this  woman  was  broad 
enough  to  make  an  impression  for  life. 

The  man  or  woman  possessed  of  the  right  personality 
must  have  more  than  intellectual  attainments,  more  than  an 


94  THE  TEACHER 

interest  in  teaching  history  or  arithmetic  or  geography, 
must  be  intensely  human,  must  keep  ever  the  spirit  of 
youth  though  locks  be  gray,  must  have  quick 
Requisites  sympathy  both  with  joy  and  sorrow,  and  above 
all  must  believe  in  young  people.  That  does 
not  mean  a  blind,  maudlin,  sentimental  faith — nothing 
could  be  worse — but  a  faith  that  sees  both  good  and  bad, 
tells  the  truth  about  it  and,  while  being  as  severe  as  need 
be,  shows  back  of  all  a  genuine  human  love. 

Such  a  teacher  must  be  master  of  himself,  of  the  situa- 
tion, of  the  individual ;  must  be  patient,  alert,  quick  of 
judgment,  interested,  honest,  happy,  and  untiring  in  service. 

The  demand  is  heavy,  but  the  reward  is  great. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

TACT 

Tact  has  been  defined  as  "A  quick  or  intuitive  apprecia- 
tion of  what  is  fit,  proper,  or  right ;  fine  or  ready  mental 
discernment  shown  in  saying  or  doing  the  proper  thing  or 
especially  in  avoiding  what  would  offend  or  disturb ;  skill 
or  facility  in  dealing  with  men  or  emergencies."  There  are 
many  phases  to  this  definition,  all  of  which  have  strong  prac- 
tical bearing  when  applied  to  the  working  philosophy  of  a 
teacher. 

Indians,  barbarians,  and  all  uncivilized  nations  or 
peoples  of  whatever  age  or  place,  know  but  one  way  of 
settling  all  questions,  and  that  is  the  way  of  battle,  a  fight 
to  the  finish  in  which  the  mastery  always  goes 
to  the  strongest  and  the  day  is  won  by  might,  comparisons 
not  right. 

Civilization  has  found  a  better  way,  though  the  world 
has  not  advanced  to  the  point  where  this  better  way  can 
always  be  made  successful.  The  barbaric  is  not  completely 
quelled  and  sometimes  the  mighty  differences  of  nations 
must  be  settled  through  war.  But  these  periods  are  grow- 
ing farther  and  farther  apart  and  come  only  when  all  other 
methods  fail. 

An  important  part  in  the  organization  of  every  govern- 
ment is  its  diplomatic  service.  For  this  service,  men  are 
selected  of  wide  experience,  of  clear  insight,  men  who  are 
clever,  sympathetic,  quick  readers  of  human  nature,  pos- 

95 


96  THE  TEACHER 

sessed  of  ability  to  consider  any  question  from  the  view- 
point of  the  opposing  interest,  and  endowed  with  a  peculiar 
power  to  bring  a  happy  issue  out  of  all  trouble,  which,  of 
course,  means  usually  settling  the  issue  according  to  their 
own  wishes. 

The  old-time  school  was  a  tyrannical  institution.  The 
master  stood  in  a  position  of  unquestioned  authority.  He 
The  Old  sa^  ^°  ^ms  one'  "Go,"  and  he  usually  went. 

theyBetter  ^  *ne  going  were  at  all  delayed,  it  was  hastened 
Way  by  rod  or  ruler.     The  view-point  of  the  young 

person  was  rarely  considered,  and  if  he  dared  state  or  defend 
it,  the  case  was  counted  one  of  insubordination  and  treated 
accordingly.  The  teacher's  authority  was  absolute,  his 
power  supreme,  and  the  young  nature  could  only  cower  in 
unwilling  submission. 

The  progress  of  education  has  modified  this.  Serious  stu- 
dents of  youth  and  its  needs  have  solved  satisfactorily  many 
troublesome  problems. 

Yet,  after  all  that  has  been  done,  the  school  still  remains 
an  absolute  monarchy.  The  authority  of  the  teacher  is 
supreme,  his  will  is  law,  and  when  there  is  an  issue,  the  judg- 
ment, or  at  the  least  the  way,  of  the  teacher  prevails.  It 
may  be  necessary  that  this  should  continue  to  be  more  or 
less  true;  it  doubtless  is  best  that  it  should  be,  but  the 
attendant  evils  must  be  counteracted. 

The  old  way  is  the  way  of  the  hunter  who  goes  to  the 
forest  to  slay  his  game  because  he  has  the  power,  the  way 
of  the  barbarian  who  knows  no  argument  but  that  of  battle, 
the  way  of  the  teacher  who  drives  his  school  according  to 
his  own  arbitrary  will,  regardless  of  what  may  die  within 
the  boy  or  girl  during  the  process. 

The  better  way  is  that  of  the  diplomat  who  handles  great 
crises  without  bloodshed  or  international  warfare. 


TACT  97 

Under  the  present  organization  of  schools,  there  still 
remains  tremendous  opportunity  to  do  violence  to  the  young 
people  who  pass  some  of  the  best  years  of  their  lives  in  the 
school-room.  One  who  has  been  long  in  the  work  is  fre- 
quently startled  at  the  wreckage  strewn  along  the  shore ; 
is  made  to  wonder  if  something  is  not  radically  wrong  in 
the  theory  upon  which  we  are  working. 

But  that  is  another  question ;  at  present  our  duty  is 
plain  to  do  the  best  that  can  be  done  under  existing  circum- 
stances. Now,  as  always,  the  burden  of  responsibility  for 
wise  handling  of  the  young  people  rests  largely,  if  not 
entirely,  upon  the  individual  teacher.  But  in  school-rooms 
all  over  the  land,  teachers  are  meeting  the  problem  of  their 
relations  with  young  people  and  are  solving  them  wisely, 
are  guiding  the  youth  in  more  directions  than  are  marked 
out  by  courses  in  algebra,  history,  language,  or  science. 
They  are  encountering  each  day  situations  which  hold  pos- 
sibilities of  unpleasant  issues,  and  yet  these  issues  are 
avoided,  not  by  subterfuge,  but  by  knowing  all  about  the 
individual,  just  as  the  diplomat  knows  his  problems  and 
settles  them  without  war  and  for  the  best  good  of  all. 

This  ability  can  be  summed  up  in  the  one  word,  tact.  He 
who  possesses  it  will  succeed ;  he  who  lacks  it  will  fail. 

The  foundation  principle  of  tact  is  kindness,  and  the  man 
or  woman  who   is  not  possessed  of  a  kindly,  sympathetic 
regard  for  human  beings,  of  a  respect  for  the 
feelings  of  others  and  a  desire  to  save  them  all    Kindness 
possible  pain,  lacks  tact. 

A  close  sympathy  with  human  life  and  its  varying  expe- 
riences  lies    at    the    foundation   of   a   tactful 
nature.      This  implies  an  appreciation  of  the    Sympathy 
weaknesses  of  those  with  whom  we  are  dealing. 
The  right  to  condemn  the  failings  of  adults  may  occasion- 


98  THE  TEACHER 

ally  exist,  although  even  there  it  is  well  to  keep  in  mind 
the  caution  to  dwellers  in  glass  houses. 

With  children,  however,  there  must  never  be  for  get  ful- 
ness of  the  fact  that  they  are  children  and  in  the  formative 
growing  stage.  They  are  not  responsible  for  their  weak- 
nesses and  nothing  is  gained  by  dragging  faults  baldly  and 
cruelly  into  prominence.  Be  as  clear-visioned  as  possible 
and  recognize  every  weakness;  then,  with  tender,  tactful 
touch,  strengthen  and  sustain. 

Youth  is  full  of  hope.  Plans  for  the  future  and  expecta- 
tion of  doing  great  things  some  day  live  in  every  young 
brain.  These  will  not  all  come  to  full  fruition  ;  the  mature 
mind  knows  that,  and  yet  the  tactful  person  will  not  dis- 
courage any  uplifting  ambitions.  Some  of  them  may  work 
out  even  beyond  expectation,  and  no  one  can  tell  which  ones. 
At  any  rate,  striving  brings  its  own  reward. 

Next  in  importance  is  quick,  accurate  judgment.  No  one 
can  possess  this  quality  who  is  not  keenly  sensitive  to  all 
surroundings.  It  demands  an  ability  to  see 
Judgment  without  conscious  effort,  and  often  without 
seeming  to  see,  everything  that  passes  within 
the  range  of  vision.  Much  of  this  is  unimportant  at  the 
time,  but  the  mind  that  is  thus  sensitive  to  impressions  is 
storing  up  a  fund  of  data  which  is  very  likely  to  be  brought 
into  use  later.  If  this  sense  reserve  is  tumbled  haphazard 
into  the  mind,  it  will  never  be  of  very  great  value.  There 
is  a  type  of  mind  that  makes  classification  of  impressions, 
and  the  result  of  all  quick  observations  falls  into  the  proper 
pigeon-hole  of  the  mind,  there  to  await  demand.  Everyone 
should  cultivate  this  habit. 

The  old  saying,  "A  good  teacher  must  have  one  blind 
eye,"  is  pertinent  to  this  discussion.  Experience  proves  the 
wisdom  of  the  adage,  but  it  takes  the  young  teacher  a  little 


TACT  99 

time  to  learn  it.     Her  extreme  anxiety  to  make  everything 
go  decently  renders  her  over-anxious,  and  she  feels  it  incum- 
bent upon  her  to  watch  every  turn  and  motion  of  every 
child.     She  anticipates  trouble,  puts  herself  in 
an  attitude   of  expecting  it,  and  then   she  is    ^y|  Blind 
rarely  disappointed. 

The  tactful  teacher  rarely  brings  things  to  an  issue. 
There  is  nothing  that  will  bring  about  this  result  sooner 
than  a  dictatorial,  opinionated  manner. 

The  young  teacher  is  almost  certain  to  go  f^ue1  a" 
upon  the  rocks  occasionally.  She  is  not  yet 
trained  to  foresee  difficulties  and  often  is  face  to  face  with 
direct  opposition  before  she  realizes  the  danger.  This 
realization  comes  through  experience,  and  when  that  expe- 
rience carries  with  it  the  right  training,  the  occasions 
are  very  rare  where  teacher  and  pupil  come  into  direct 
opposition. 

Three  things  must  enter  into  the  attitude  of  a  teacher  to 
make  this  condition  possible :  a  strong  bridle  upon  the 
tongue,  which  holds  unsaid  the  words  that  would  unneces- 
sarily offend  the  child ;  patience  to  wait  until  all  the  evi- 
dence is  in  before  passing  judgment;  and,  above  all,  a 
deep-rooted  tenderness  toward  every  offender. 

The  sensitive  teacher  will  be  conscious  of  the  greater 
sensitiveness  of  her  children.     Their  own  wrongdoings  cut 
deep  into  their  little  souls  and  they  know  far 
more  about  their  own  offenses  than  any  older    fineness 
person  can  guess.     These  offenses  cannot  often 
be  allowed  to  pass  unnoticed,  but  the  tactful  teacher  will 
have  sense  not  to  touch  the  raw,  sensitive  spots  too  harshly. 
Here    is    where    the    trained    judgment    comes    into    play. 
When  the  wrong  is  fresh  in  the  mind  of  both  teacher  and 
pupil,  that  is  usually  a  pretty  good  time  to  avoid  extensive 


100  THE  TEACHER 

discussion  of  it.  The  vision  of  both  is  likely  to  be  distorted 
and  the  tiny  molehill  that  ought  to  vanish  in  the  day  may 
be  piled  mountain  high  to  cast  its  shadow  across  the  weeks 
to  come. 

The  word  spoken  is  gone  forever;  the  tethered  word  can 
be  let  loose  at  any  time. 

Tact  enables  its  possessor  to  put  himself  in  the  position 
of  the  other  person  and  to  see  things  through  his  eyes. 
Put  Yourself  The  view  is  surprisingly  different.  There  is 
other's  scarcely   a   quality   in   which   the   majority   of 

Place  teachers  are  more  lacking.    There  is  something 

in  the  occupation  that  tends  to  make  one  dogmatic  and  opin- 
ionated. Many  teachers  see  things  from  their  own  stand- 
point solel}T,  satisfied  that  they  are  right.  The  forty 
children  are  forty  individuals,  and  will  look  upon  life 
through  their  own  eighty  eyes.  No  two  points  on  the  face 
of  the  earth  have  the  same  horizon  line,  so  there  are  millions 
of  view-points  each  just  as  true  for  the  individual  as  that 
of  the  teacher  who  thinks  her  view  is  the  only  right  one. 
Fifty  art  students  may  draw  from  the  same  model  at  the 
same  time,  no  two  seeing  it  the  same,  and  yet  the  sketches 
may  all  be  true  ones. 

Your  opinion,  after  all,  is  only  one  out  of  millions,  and 
you  have  only  one  chance  out  of  millions  of  being  absolutely 
right.  Teachers  are  very  apt  to  forget  this  and  hold  with 
tenacity  to  their  own  narrowness  and  treat  with  disdain 
those  who  venture  to  disagree. 

In  this  same  connection  may  be  mentioned  the  air  of 
finality  with  which  teachers  are  apt  to  express  their  views. 
They  rarely  offer  them  as  a  matter  of  opinion, 
Fpnality  °f  but  frequently  "speak  as  one  having  authority" 
on  all  subjects.  This  is  a  part  of  the  school- 
teacher mannerisms  that  we  all  deplore. 


tact  10; 

The  manner  is  gained,  of  course,  in  the  school-room, 
where  the  teacher's  will  and  opinion  is  supreme  and  so  rec- 
ognized, but  there  is  no  use  of  advertising  the  fact  by  self- 
assertion  on  every  possible  occasion.  Even  in  the  school- 
room this  manner  is  to  be  deplored.  If  it  can  be  abolished 
there  it  will  cease  to  be  one  of  the  marks  of  the  profession, 
as  it  certainly  is  now. 

Many  strained,  uncomfortable  relations  between  teacher 
and  pupil  have  been  overcome  completely  by  the  finding  of 
some   common   interest.      Everybody   has   some 
particular,  all-absorbing  interest.     Young  peo-    fn°t™r™s°ts 
pie  are  inclined  to  be  very  secretive  about  these 
interests,  governed  as  they  are  by  a  strange  modesty.     It 
is  worth  a  teacher's  while  to  search  out  these  concerns. 

We  never  get  very  near  to  anyone  until  wTe  find  common 
standing  ground.  Those  whose  activities  are  entirely  out- 
side our  own  ever  remain  strangers  to  us.  The  teacher 
who  finds  herself  in  this  attitude  toward  even  a  small  per- 
centage of  her  school  has  far  to  go  before  she  has  any 
right  to  consider  herself  a  worthy  teacher. 

One  woman  once  won  over  an  entire  class  of  boys  in  a 
new  school  by  revealing  to  them  her  accurate  knowledge  of 
football.  When  they  found  that  she  could  really  follow 
the  progress  of  the  ball,  knew  an  off-side  play,  and  under- 
stood the  rules  that  governed  the  forward  pass,  their  confi- 
dence in  her  was  supreme.  The  team  showed  it  by  impart- 
ing to  her  their  signals,  in  perfect  faith  that  she  would 
not  betray  the  sacred  trust  and  that  she  would  learn  them 
as  the  team  did.  It  took  some  hard  study  to  master  their 
mysteries,  for  she  did  not  have  the  opportunity  of  putting 
them  into  practice  as  the  team  did,  but  she  knew  that  her 
business  was  to  live  up  to  what  they  expected  of  her,  and 
that  otherwise  she  would  lose  a  large  element  of  power,  so 


t$%  THE  TEACHER 

she  did  not  shirk  the  hard  study,  and  was  soon  able  to  stand 
quiz  on  the  signals.  She  had  many  a  good  talk  with  boys 
on  the  team  and  off,  beginning  with  football,  sometimes 
ending  there,  but  often  leading  to  matters  more  vital  and 
productive  of  great  good. 

Not  every  teacher  cares  for  football,  neither  does  every' 
pupil,  but  let  the  absorbing  interest  be  what  it  may,  the 
discovery    of   it   will   always   result   in    good.      Often   this 
revelation  comes  naturally  and  the  tactful  teacher  will  know 
how  to  turn  the  knowledge  to  advantage. 

When  a  pupil  is  troublesome  and  he  and  the  teacher  seem 
instinctively  to  get  on  opposite  sides  of  a  question,  the  situ- 
ation may  be  completely  changed  if  the  teacher  seeks  out 
something  in  which  the  child  takes  particular  delight. 

Some  things  cure  themselves,  and  occasionally  the  laissez 

fa'ire  method  is  to  be  commended.    No  one  runs  to  the  doctor 

with   every   slight   ailment,   and   usually   when 

Fa'ire62  nature  is  left  to  herself,  she  takes  care  of  most 

simple   troubles.      The   analogy   holds    in    the 

school-room.     The  rule  of  action  is  easy ;  the  rule  of  "hands 

off,"  is  harder  to  obey.     Sow  the  seed,  cover,  watch,  water, 

and  protect,  but  do  not  dig  down  to  see  if  it  has  sprouted, 

and  do  not  constantly  pull  up  the  young  plant  to  discover 

how  deep  down  the  root  has  struck.     Prepare  the  ground 

well,  sow  good  seed,  and  then  have  the  wisdom  to  leave 

things  alone. 

Young  people  have  the  right  to  make  their  own  mis- 
takes up  to  a  certain  point.     To  stand  quietly  by  and  allow 
them  to  fall  into  error  is  an  exceedingly  di.ffi- 
ivustlkes  cu^  thing  to  do.     We  are  all  too  prone  to  act 

as  special  providence,  to  save  them  from  suf- 
fering and  turn  them  into  "ways  of  pleasantness  and  paths 
of  peace." 


TACT  103 

To  the  mature  mind,  such  ways  seem  to  lie  along  the 
beaten  highway,  but  youth  longs  for  the  undiscovered  coun- 
try, the  unbroken  forest,  and  the  hilltops.  It  cares  nothing 
for  the  roughness  of  the  road,  for  bruises,  brambles,  and 
bumps,  if  only  it  may  go  its  own  unmolested  way  into  the 
new  country  of  the  future. 

Whenever  a  principle  is  involved,  then  it  is  the  duty  of 
the  older  person  to  speak  with  force  and  to  act  with  author- 
ity, if  the  right  result  cannot  be  gained  in  any  other  way. 
But  there  are  a  thousand  and  one  little  unimportant  things 
that  are  better  left  alone  even  if  they  do  not  turn  out  as 
perfectly  as  a  wiser  head  might  make  them. 

This  was  well  illustrated  in  a  meeting  of  a  certain  high 
school  literary  society.  Several  teachers  were  present 
and  all  were  interested  in  the  success  of  the  society.  A  boy 
made  a  motion  to  change  from  the  system  of  signing  re- 
ceipts for  dues  to  a  system  of  tickets,  and  the  motion  met 
the  approval  of  the  society.  A  teacher  arose,  pointed  out 
what  he  insisted  were  flaws  in  the  plan,  and  offered  such 
strong  objections  to  its  adoption  as  to  amount  almost  to  a 
command.  An  unpleasant  discussion  followed,  ending  in 
serious  irritation  toward  the  teacher  and  in  general  dis- 
comfort. No  one  knows  to  this  day  which  was  the  better 
plan,  and  it  made  precious  little  difference.  Even  if  the 
boy's  idea  was  all  wrong,  it  was  the  pupils'  society  and  they 
had  a  right  to  make  a  mistake.  If  things  did  not  come  out 
well  they  would  learn  far  more  by  experience  than  by  fol- 
lowing meekly  the  dictates  of  anyone  else.  The  teacher's 
only  wish  was  to  help  the  young  people,  but  he  forgot  that 
the  purpose  of  the  society  was  training,  and  that  there  was 
more  value  in  making  mistakes  in  their  own  way  than  in 
accepting  anyone's  judgment  ready-made.  The  tickets 
were  a  matter  for  a  day ;  the  training  was  for  life. 


104  THE  TEACHER 

Experience  is  the  only  school  that  really  gives  the  mas- 
ter's degree.  Why,  then,  should  we  not  let  our  children 
qualif  y  ? 

Children  do  a  great  many  things  unconsciously  which  the 
sensitive  teacher  often  thinks  are  done  with  malice  afore- 
thought. A  little  quiet  observation  will  reveal  the  true 
situation. 

There  are  a  thousand  and  one  things  that  are  slightly  an- 
noying but  which  are  ephemeral.  The  teacher  possessing 
the  .keen  judgment  that  goes  with  tact  will  learn  which  are 
fleeting  and  which  carry  an  element  of  permanency.  The 
former  are  better  ignored,  seen  only  with  the  blind  eye; 
the  others  must  be  dealt  with  vigorously.  The  cultivating 
of  this  discriminating  judgment  is  a  part  of  the  training 
in  tact. 

One  of  the  leading  educators  of  the  country  is  very  fond 
of  saying,  "The  smaller  the  person,  the  better  his  eyesight." 

The  adage  is  well  worth  keeping  in  mind. 

Another  error  that  young  teachers  are  apt  to  fall  into  is 
that  of  thinking  that  every  evil,  every  discomfort,  must 
be  corrected  at  once.  The  element  of  time 
of'eTime  enters  into  most  curative  measures.    The  physi- 

cian administers  his  prescription  and  then 
awaits  the  effect.  It  is  hard  to  await  results,  but  human 
life  develops  slowly  and  all  who  are  engaged  in  the  culture 
of  it  must  learn  tactful  patience,  content  if  they  can  detect 
progress. 

Every  situation  so  far  as  possible  should  be  handled  in 

such  a  manner  as  to  preserve  the  self-respect  of  the  pupil. 

This  is  a  very   delicate  process,  for  children 

hfiTm  if iratTon     are    usually    hypersensitive    as    to    their    own 

shortcomings,    and    no    one    can    estimate   the 

amount  of  mental  suffering  that  they  silently  endure. 


TACT  105 

The  torment  to  which  a  young  girl  was  subjected  at  a 
certain  public  spelling  match,  well  illustrates  this  point. 

The  contest  had  been  very  carefully  arranged.  Every- 
thing had  been  done  that  could  be  done  to  make  it  perfectly 
fair.  It  was  a  match  between  schools,  to  which  each  had 
sent  a  team.  The  words  were  clearly  pronounced  and  were 
justly  judged,  both  in  the  oral  and  in  the  written  tests.  A 
record,  as  the  spelling  progressed,  was  put  upon  the  board 
in  front  of  the  audience  so  that  everyone  knew  how  many 
words  were  missed  by  each  person  on  the  team.  No  criticism 
could  be  offered  upon  this,  for  while  each  boy  or  girl  as 
well  as  the  audience  could  see  the  exact  count,  no  especial 
attention  was  called  to  the  individual  who  had  missed  the 
most.  The  record  was  there  and  spoke  for  itself,  but  few 
connected  any  of  it  with  any  particular  pupil. 

But  when  the  spelling  was  over,  each  contestant  was 
brought  to  the  front  of  the  platform,  introduced  by  name 
and  the  number  of  words  which  he  had  missed  was  an- 
nounced. It  wTas  a  proud  moment  for  those  who  had  fallen 
within  the  range  of  the  average.  But  try  to  put  yourself 
in  the  place  of  the  girl  on  the  losing  team  who  had  missed 
more  words  than  anyone  else,  and  whose  failure,  as  the 
record  still  upon  the  board  proved,  had  been  enough  to  lose 
the  contest  for  her  school.  Think  back  into  your  own 
childhood  for  some  instance  considered  trivial  by  your 
elders,  but  which  to  this  day  grips  your  heart  when  you 
think  of  it. 

The  agony  endured  those  few  minutes  as  she  stood  before 
the  audience,  will  never  leave  that  child.  She  was  sensitive 
in  the  extreme  and  her  abject  failure  was  without  doubt 
the  result  of  timidity.  In  her  own  natural  environment 
she  would  have  spelled  most  of  the  words  given  out  that  day. 

The  committee  having  the  match  in  charge  had  thought 


106  THE  TEACHER 

only  of  honoring  the  successful  and  of  treating  everybody 
just  exactly  alike.  In  their  very  attempt  to  be  just  to  all, 
they  had  overlooked  this  situation,  which  caused  great  suf- 
fering to  a  sensitive  nature. 

The  tactful  teacher  will  look  far  ahead,  will  watch  every 
relation,  every  personal  quality  of  her  children,  and  will 
avoid  to  the  uttermost  the  needless  hurt  of  today  or  the 
wound  whose  scar  may  last  for  life. 

There  is  a  power  to  guide  that  does  not  proclaim  itself 
dictatorially,  that  reaches  its  results  without  opposing  the 
will  of  the  individual  guided,  without  apparent 
SubtieS  management,  and  without  the  person  influenced 

knowing  that  he  is  doing  anything  but  follow- 
ing out  his  own  plans. 

The  tactful  person  will  bring  those  under  his  control 
to  his  way  of  action  so  that  the  individual  yielding  will 
never  suspect  that  any  will  outside  his  own  is  operative. 
This  comes  very  near  illustrating  the  reconciliation  of  pre- 
destination and  free  will. 

In  illumination  of  this  idea  there  comes  to  mind  the 
picture  of  a  young  father  and  his  little  girl  who  was  just 
beginning  to  enjoy  the  delights  of  walking  alone,  free  from 
restraining  hand.  He  took  her  to  the  park  one  afternoon. 
From  the  moment  they  entered  the  enclosure,  the  child 
thought  she  went  her  own  untrammeled  way,  but  the  mind 
of  the  father  followed  every  step.  He  did  not  once  reach 
out  his  hand  to  touch  her  or  pull  her  this  way  or  that, 
he  did  not  say  to  her,  "Don't  go  there,"  or  "Come  this 
way,"  but  if  she  headed  toward  danger  he  was  between  her 
and  it,  and  just  by  his  presence  there  diverted  her  course, 
while  she  thought  she  went  of  her  own  free  will.  Every  step 
of  her  walk  was  guided  by  his  will  and  she  never  knew  it. 
This  was  tact.     There  is  a  deep  lesson  in  the  story. 


TACT  107 

It  was  during  the  period  when  the  fad  for  outrageously 
slovenly  dress  struck  the  western  colleges.  Hats  looked  as 
though  they  had  been  filched  from  the  rag-man,  cuffs  van- 
ished, and  sleeves  on  coatless  boys  went  well  above  the  el- 
bows. High  schools  caught  the  contagion.  In  a  particular 
room  where  the  social  standing  of  the  boys  was  considered 
somewhat  select,  and  where  they  had  been  trained  to  respect 
the  amenities  of  life  and  most  of  its  social  customs,  a  large 
number  appeared  one  warm  summer  day  in  imitation  of 
college  apparel.  The  teacher  studied  the  problem  for  an 
instant,  knowing  that  they  could  not  be  allowed,  in  harmony 
with  the  standards  to  which  she  had  always  held  the  room, 
to  sit  there  in  that  array.  She  was  a  little  sensitive  about 
offering  a  reproof  to  a  group  who  ought  to  know  as*  well  as 
she  that  they  were  violating  the  proprieties. 

She  took  a  minute  to  consider  the  situation  as  the  school 
gathered  to  order.  In  that  time  she  made  her  decision. 
Going  to  the  board  upon  which  she  was  accustomed  to  write 
general  notices,  she  slowly  cleared  the  required  space,  doing 
it  very  slowly,  for  she  wanted  to  attract  the  attention  of 
the  school,  without  seeming  to  do  so.  Then  she  wrote,  also 
slowly,  to  make  sure  that  they  should  have  read  the  full 
message  by  the  time  she  had  finished : 

"It  does  not  seem  to  me  good  form  for  young  men  to 
sit  in  a  public  assembly-room  with  sleeves  rolled  to  the  el- 
bows.   Will  you  please  accept  my  judgment  in  the  matter?" 

She  signed  her  initials  very  slowly,  dated  the  notice,  and 
then  looked  it  over  to  make  sure  that  it  was  all  right.  By 
the  time  she  turned  to  face  the  school,  every  sleeve  was 
buttoned  about  the  wrist,  or  coats  had  gone  on  over  the 
bare  arms. 

This  settled  the  matter  for  the  season,  and  did  it  without 
discussion  and  without  bringing  into  prominence  individuals 


108  THE  TEACHER 

who  really  prided  themselves  upon  always  doing  the  correct 
thing.  By  making  the  matter  general,  she  had  avoided 
the  feeling  of  individual  reproof. 

That  "Honesty  is  the  best  policy"  has  been  pretty  gen- 
erally accepted,  but  there  is  an  application  of  honesty  that 

is  not  tactful. 
Honesty*  There  is  never  a  time  when  anything  but  the 

truth  should  be  spoken ;  a  lie  has  no  place  either 
in  principle  or  policy.  No  compromise  with  wrong,  with 
dishonesty?  can  be  recognized  in  the  philosophy  of  the 
upright. 

It  is  equally  true,  however,  that  "the  truth,  especially 
the  unpleasant  one,  should  not  be  spoken  at  all  times." 
The  occasional  withholding  of  an  ugly  truth  when  the  pro- 
claiming of  it  would  result  in  no  good  whatever  and  might 
produce  positive  mischief,  is  the  part  of  tactful  wisdom. 

The  situation  is  well  illustrated  by  a  conversation  between 
two  friends  upon  this  same  subject.  One  was  openly  and 
aggressively  frank.  She  rarely  let  an  opportunity  pass  of 
telling  people  with  whom  she  associated  the  actual  truth 
about  everything  just  as  it  appeared  to  her  severe  judg- 
ment. Often  this  was  needlessly  done,  often  dragged  into 
the  conversation,  and  resulted  in  unpleasant  criticism  of  her 
friends  when  such  criticism  produced  no  good  results. 
Through  this  habit  she  aroused  much  ill  feeling  and  did  not 
accomplish  the  reforms  which  she  intended. 

Her  friend  once  remonstrated  with  her  for  thus  making 
needless  enemies.  "You  are  altogether  too  honest,"  was 
the  final  remark. 

"I'm  not  a  bit  more  honest  than  you  are,"  came  the 
retort.     "You  always  tell  the  truth,  too." 

"I  hope  I  always  tell  the  truth  when  I  say  anything," 


TACT  109 

was  the  answer,  "at  least  I  mean  to ;  but  I  don't  go  around 
thrusting  it  upon  people  as  you  do." 

Another  instance  is  also  to  the  point,  showing  how 
one  may  attain  an  exaggerated  idea  of  what  demands 
honesty  makes.  A  young  woman  once  went  to  an  older 
one  with  this  remark :  "There's  a  woman  in  this  town 
whom  I  don't  like  and  I  have  to  meet  her  and  treat  her 
decently.  I  don't  think  it's  honest  to  do  so,  and  I  want 
to  go  to  her  and  tell  her  that  I  don't  like  her." 

Of  course,  such  a  feeling  was  absurd  and  the  proposed 
action  the  purest  folly. 

There  are  times  when  "silence  is  golden."  The  tactful 
person  possesses  that  clear,  quick  judgment  which  tells 
him  the  difference  between  "a  time  to  keep  silence  and  a 
time  to  speak." 

Some   people   seem   to   be   born   utterly    devoid   of  tact. 
If  there  is  a  chance  to  do  the  wrong  thing  they  are  ever 
ready  to  embrace  it.     Unfortunately  many  of 
these  get  into  the  ranks  of  teachers.     Unless    ofUTafcttl0n 
they  cultivate  tact,  the  end  will  be  disastrous. 
Fortunately,  tact,  like  any  other  virtue,  can  be  cultivated. 

Anything  that  brings  the  teacher  into  closer  personal 
touch  with  any  one  pupil  is  to  be  taken  advantage  of.  A 
note  slipped  quietly  into  the  hand  of  boy  or  girl  or  left 
upon  the  desk  may  carry  weight  and  lasting  influence  that 
can  never  be  put  into  a  general  talk,  however  good. 

In  a  certain  school  it  was  not  the  custom  to  return  exami- 
nation papers,  but  to  give  out  the  standing  privately.  One 
teacher  knew  the  class  in  a  peculiarly  personal  way,  and 
was  inventive.  With  each  standing  she  sent  a  personal 
note,  carefully  fitted  to  the  nature  and  needs  of  the  recipi- 
ent.    One  of  these  notes  contained  an  apt  quotation  which 


110  THE  TEACHER 

carried  back  of  the  mere  words  a  special  message  for  the 
pupil;  another  held  kindly  but  sharp  criticism;  here  some 
boy  read  a  word  of  needed  encouragement;  there  a  quiet 
joke  with  a  lesson  in  the  point  of  it.  This  took  time,  but 
it  paid  in  arousing  the  feeling  of  close  understanding  with 
the  teacher.  The  work  after  that  examination  was  per- 
ceptibly strengthened. 

There  is  a  decided  difference  between  tact  and  policy. 
Tact  is  altruistic ;  policy,  egoistic.  The  former  seeks  the 
good  of  others ;  the  latter,  the  good  of  one's 
PoNcyand  se^  •  There  is  danger  that  the  one  may  degen- 
erate into  the  other.  The  tactful  person  must 
be  watchful  of  his  own  power  and  see  that  it  does  not 
develop  into  mere  policy;  just  beyond  the  boundary  line 
lies  dishonesty,  a  dangerous  neighbor. 

Let  the  teacher  be  as  tactful  as  she  may,  but  let  her  see 
to  it  that  tact  never  degenerates  into  the  intrigue  of  the 
politician. 


CHAPTER  IX 

DISCIPLINE:     A  GENERAL  VIEW 

The  Century  Dictionary  defines  discipline  as  "Mental 
and  moral  training,  either  under  one's  own  guidance  or 
under  that  of  another;  the  cultivation  of  the  mind  and 
formation  of  the  manners ;  instruction  and  government, 
comprehending  the  communication  of  knowledge  and  the 
regulation  of  practice." 

This  definition  might  have  been  written  especially  for 
teachers,  so  perfectly  does  it  fit  the  conditions.  The 
schools  aim  to  give  both  mental  and  moral  training;  at 
first,  under  the  guidance  of  the  teacher  but  looking  always 
to  the  time  when  the  children  shall  be  able  to  assume  the 
responsibility  themselves.  They  try  to  cultivate  the  mind 
and  form  the  manners ;  they  give  instruction  in  a  wide 
range  of  knowledge  and  furnish  such  government  of  the 
pupils  as  shall  regulate  their  conduct  to  their  final  good. 

In  its  more  limited  application,  however,  discipline  has 
come  to  mean  to  teachers  that  power  which  holds  a  school 
in  good  order  to  the  end  that  the  mental  and  moral  and 
social  improvement,  the  primary  reason  for  the  existence  of 
schools,  may  go  on  uninterrupted. 

Even  in  this  narrow  sense  it  becomes  important,  for  when 
that  part  of  discipline  which  relates  to  the  government 
of  the  school  is  not  right,  little  can  be  accomplished  in  the 
wider,  fuller  meaning  of  the  word. 

Ill 


112  THE  TEACHER 

The  discipline,  then,  which  relates  to  good  government 

and  order  in  the   school  becomes   an   important   means   to 

an  important  end ;  a  bond-servant  to  the  higher 

Importance        discipline. 

All  the  desirable  qualities  that  any  individual 
may  bring  into  the  school-room  will  count  for  little 
unless  there  is  among  them  the  power  of  keeping  a  school 
completely  under  control.  Each  teacher  may  bring  to  the 
work  different  measures  by  which  to  determine  whether  the 
school  is  moving  along  decently  and  in  order,  but  the  test 
of  usefulness  lies  in  that  teacher's  ability  to  bring  her  own 
particular  school  to  her  own  particular  standard.  She  must 
know  that  hers  is  the  moving  spirit  and  that  in  the  end 
things  go  her  way.  In  other  words,  she  must  be  a  good 
disciplinarian. 

A  young  woman  of  more  than  usual  intellectual  attain- 
ments, of  pleasing  personality,  and  with  real  interest  in 
teaching,  made  a  most  abject  failure  because  she  could  not 
control  her  classes.  The  pupils  were  generally  well  dis- 
posed and  made  no  especial  trouble  for  other  teachers,  but 
the  things  they  did  not  devise  for  this  young  woman's 
torment  have  vet  to  be  invented. 

mJ 

After  she  left  the  school  because  of  her  inability  to 
control  her  classes,  the  principal  asked  one  of  the  boys 
who  never  before  had  given  any  trouble  why  things  had 
been  so  bad,  whv  thev  had  wished  so  to  annov  her. 

"Oh !"  he  replied,  "we  found  we  could,  and  after  that, 
of  course,  we  had  to." 

In  contrast  in  the  same  school  was  the  case  of  a  young 
man  without  experience.  In  one  of  his  classes  was  a  boy 
who  had  been  exceptionally  troublesome  to  everyone.  The 
first  day  he  began  his  usual  antics.  The  young  man  waited 
until  he  saw  that  the  interruption  was  intentional,  then  he 


DISCIPLINE  113 

stepped  to  the  side  of  the  boy  and  in  a  low  tone  said,  "We'll 
have  no  more  of  that  either  now  or  any  other  day.5' 

The  words  were  ordinary,  but  the  force  of  the  man 
shone  through  so  that  the  boy  at  once  comprehended  that 
he  had  met  his  master.  There  was  never  any  trouble  from 
that  day. 

To  keep  a  school  orderly  and  quiet  enough  to  avoid  all 
disturbing  confusion  and  yet  free  from  cramping,  distort- 
ing, warping  restraint  demands  a  master  mind,  a  master 
hand. 

No  doubt  the  ideal  disciplinarian  is  born,  not  made,  and 
even  the  one  who  attains  average  success  cannot  be  manu- 
factured entirely.  Successful  discipline  requires  a  certain 
indefinable  quality ;  if  a  teacher  lacks  this,  the  case  is  hope- 
less and  the  sooner  she  seeks  other  fields  of  labor  the  better 
for  all  concerned. 

The   various    types    of   discipline    divide   naturally   into 
two    classes.      There    is    the    old-time    method    that    makes 
of  system  and  quiet  a  fetish.     Under  this,  dis- 
cipline becomes  an  end,  not  a  means.     The  chil-    standards 
dren  are  but  pieces  of  mechanism  to  be  fitted 
into  a  smooth-running  machine.     In  such  a  school  pupils 
recite  according  to  a  set  method,  standing  in  a  prescribed 
position  and,  when  not  engaged  in  some  restrictive  exer- 
cise, sit,  as  one  superintendent  expressed  it,  "like  so  many 
darning-needles  stuck  in  a  board." 

In  a  school  where  the  boys  and  girls  were  separated, 
a  teacher  who  had  a  room  with  girls  was  greatly  dis- 
turbed all  through  one  term  because  she  had  an  odd  num- 
ber in  the  room.  This  made  a  symmetrical  arrangement 
of  the  seating  impossible,  and  the  one  unoccupied  seat  was 
a  constant  disturbance.  She  moved  it  from  front  to  back, 
from  side  to  center,  from  right  to  left,  but,  as  there  was 


114  THE  TEACHER 

an  even  number  of  rows  in  the  room,  there  always  remained 
an  unbalanced  condition. 

All  the  teachers  in  the  building  finally  became  inter- 
ested ;  it  was  a  puzzle,  and  frequent  amused  calls  used  to  be 
made  upon  the  teacher  to  see  if  she  had  reached  a  satisfac- 
tory solution.  It  might  also  be  added  to  complete  the 
picture  that  the  order  in  this  room  was  so  mechanically 
correct  that  you  could  almost,  when  the  school  was  at 
attention,  stand  in  front  of  any  given  row  and  sight  the 
straight  line  made  by  the  parting  of  the  hair  on  the  heads 
of  these  poor  little  girls. 

Whoever  has  ambitions  to  stand  at  the  head  of  any  such 
school  will  have  to  look  elsewhere  for  inspiration  and 
help ;  there  will  be  none  in  these  pages. 

On  the  other  side,  and  in  this  direction  is  the  trend  of 
modern  education,  is  the  method  that  tries  to  give  to  the 
individual  free  and  full  development.  To  accomplish  this 
end,  without  allowing  this  individualism  to  run  riot,  is  the 
work  of  the  successful  teacher. 

The  strain  of  the  individual  method  is  tremendous  and, 
in  our  weariness,  we  sometimes  doubt  if  we  are  on  the 
right  track.  Would  not  a  return  to  some  of  the  stricter 
methods  be  really  better  for  the  schools? 

This  question  once  came  up  for  honest,  practical  con- 
sideration before  a  strong  body  of  teachers.  The  school 
was  to  move  in  the  middle  of  the  year  into  a  new  building. 
There  had  been  some  talk  among  certain  teachers  along 
the  line  of  changing  the  policy  somewhat  in  order  to  live 
up  to  the  improvements  of  the  new  structure. 

Now,  if  ever,  was  the  time  to  make  the  change.  The 
principal  called  a  meeting  for  a  free  and  frank  discussion 
of  the  subject.  He  wished  to  get  the  consensus  of  opinion 
as    to    whether    the    old    and    somewhat    informal    methods 


DISCIPLINE  115 

should  be  adhered  to,  or  whether  this  was  the  opportunity 
to  change  to  a  more  systematic  and  semi-military  form. 
The  one  thing  especially  to  be  decided  upon  was  the 
general  order  in  passing  of  classes  and  in  moving  about 
the  building.  At  least,  should  all  talking  in  the  halls  be 
forbidden  and  the  classes  made  to  move  in  line  and  in  regu- 
lar order?  Up  to  this  time  everybody  had  been  expected 
to  go  to  his  next  duty  by  the  most  direct  route  and 
without  loitering,  but  it  had  not  been  adjudged  a  crime 
if  he  occasionally  spoke  to  someone  traveling  his  way. 

The  principal  asked  from  each  teacher  a  perfectly  frank 
opinion,  reserving  for  himself  final  decision.  There  was 
a  difference  in  judgment,  but  with  a  surprising  leaning 
toward  the  more  formal  discipline. 

The  last  teacher  to  speak  was  one  long  in  the  service, 
one  who  knew  the  situation  pretty  thoroughly.  This  was 
her  answer:  "I  think  the  more  systematic  way  would  pro- 
duce the  better  appearing  school  and  a  quieter  building, 
and  when  the  method  were  once  established,  would  be  like 
any  other  piece  of  machinery,  excellent  so  long  as  it  did 
not  get  out  of  order.  There  is  one  practical  objection, 
however,  to  carrying  it  out.  We  should  have  to  have  a 
new  principal  and  almost  an  entirely  new  corps  of 
teachers." 

A  thoughtful  silence  followed  and  then  a  burst  of  laugh- 
ter that  forever  disposed  of  the  question,  for  that  teach- 
ing force  was  made  up  of  too  big  men  and  women  to 
make  mechanical   methods  possible. 

A  single  building  will  reveal  a  variety  of  standards,  all 
good  under  the  teacher  in  charge  but  differing  as  indi- 
vidual teachers  differ. 

Side  by  side  in  the  same  building,  equally  successful 
and  equally  liked  by  the  pupils,  there  taught  for  years 


116  THE  TEACHER 

two  teachers  of  markedly  different  personalities.  One  was 
even,  serene,  unmoved  externally  by  any  deep  emotion. 
The  other,  full  of  bounding  life,  was  often 
standards  stirred  emotionally.  The  school  of  the  former 
was  even  as  herself.  It  went  on  day  after  day 
in  just  the  same  way,  always  a  pleasant  way;  the  work 
was  well  done  and  the  relations  between  her  and  her  pupils 
kindly  and,  on  her  side,  helpful. 

The  room  of  the  other  was  not  always  quiet ;  the  teacher, 
not  always  even.  If  the  mountain  peaks  of  inspiration 
reared  their  heads,  the  school,  with  the  teacher  in  the 
lead,  climbed  eagerly,  joyously  toward  the  sunlit  vision. 
The  teacher  herself  was  a  storm  center  of  varied  interests. 
Around  her  the  pupils  surged,  not  always  in  calm  and 
orderly  fashion,  but  always  absorbed  in  the  present  inter- 
est. Hard  and  fast  regulations  were  sometimes  utterly  for- 
gotten. But  never  for  one  moment  did  the  school  go  beyond 
her  controlling  power.  Instantly,  when  the  time  came,  she 
could  bring  them  back  to  a  quiet  equal  to  that  regularly 
maintained  by  the  other  teacher,  but  they  came  back  to 
repose  with  a  new  light  in  their  eyes  caught  from  the 
glimpse  of  the  mountain  tops. 

Both  these  teachers  were  of  great  value  to  the  school; 
were,  in  fact,  counted  the  best  in  the  corps.  Each  in  her 
own  way  accomplished  lasting  good  to  those  who  fell  under 
her  influence.  Which  was  the  better  way?  There  is  no 
answer  to  the  question.  Each  one  was  always  herself,  deal- 
ing with  her  school  naturally  out  of  her  own  personal 
characteristics.  Either  one  would  have  made  a  failure  in 
attempting  to  use  the  methods  of  the  other;  each  was  big 
enough  to  recognize  the  strength  of  the  other,  and  so  they 
worked  on  side  by  side  without  jealousy  and  with  no  com- 
parison except  in  results,  which  came  out  about  even. 


DISCIPLINE  117 

To  admit  that  one  star  differs  from  another  star  in 
glory  is  probably  the  only  approximate  answer  to  any 
question  involving  personality,  only  the  glory  must  be 
there. 

First, — emphatically   first, — in    the    discussion    of   disci- 
pline  should   be   put   forth   a   plea,    with   all   the    tongues 
of  men   and  of  angels,  for  greater  attention 
to   obedience.  Obedience 

Obedience,  prompt,  willing,  and  unquestion- 
ing, has  gone  quite  out  of  fashion.  Styles  in  dress,  man- 
ners, and  customs,  after  a  certain  interval  swing  back  to 
the  desirable  things  of  the  past.  After  a  riot  of  juvenile 
independence,  of  exaggerated  and  misapplied  theories 
touching  untrammeled,  unrestrained  vagrancies  of  child 
nature,  the  time  ought  to  be  ripe  to  hark  back  to  the  day 
when  young  people  had  a  wholesome  respect  for  authority 
and  knew  the  meaning  of  obedience. 

Naturally,  when  the  pendulum  swung  away  from  dog- 
matic, unreasonable,  and  tyrannical  authority,  it  swung 
just  as  far  the  other  way,  and  the  result  has  been  disas- 
trous. The  home  and  the  school  are  together  responsible 
for  this  attitude.  Both  have  encouraged  young  people  to 
think  out  and  to  decide  all  personal  questions  until  they 
have  become  a  law  unto  themselves,  inclined  to  demand 
reasons  for  everything  they  are  asked  to  do,  and  to  brook 
little  interference  from  outside  authority. 

A  lesson  in  good  citizenship  goes  with  training  in  obedi- 
ence. Laws  exist  for  the  good  of  society  and  a  com- 
munity is  right  only  when  those  lawrs  are  obeyed.  Num- 
bers make  laws  and  regulations  necessary.  They  came 
into  existence  as  soon  as  people  began  to  gather  in  com- 
munities, and  the  larger  the  community,  the  more  complex 
the  life,  the  greater  the  number  of  laws  necessary. 


118  THE  TEACHER 

If  a  teacher  and  one  pupil  constituted  a  school,  then  the 
need  for  law  would  practically  vanish ;  the  question  of 
obedience  would  rarely  arise.  Under  present  organization 
something  in  the  way  of  rules  or  regulations  or  conven- 
tions becomes  a  necessity.  Whether  a  school  be  large  or 
small,  whether  it  have  few  regulations  or  many  its  efficiency 
is  largely  determined  by  the  promptness  with  which  indi- 
viduals obey  these  regulations. 

More  than  the  effect  upon  the  school  as  a  body  is  the 
effect  upon  individuals.  No  one  is  fitted  to  command,  no 
one  can  long  occupy  a  post  of  responsibility  who  has  not 
first  learned  to  obey.  Mastery  of  self  comes  through  obe- 
dience, first  to  outside  powers  and,  later,  to  the  high 
standards  which  strong  natures  set  for  themselves.  A  suc- 
cessful life  must  rest  upon  submission  to  higher  authority, 
reaching,  in  its  finality,  to  full  obedience  to  the  Most  High. 

Kipling,  in  the  poem  called  "The  'Eathen,"  tells  most 
vividly  what  obedience  to  discipline  does  for  the  raw  recruit. 
When  he  first  enlists 

"  'E  don't  obey  no  orders  unless  they  is  'is  own : 
'E    keeps    'is    side-arms    awful :    'e    leaves    'em    all    about, 
And  then  comes  up  the  regiment  an'  pokes  the  'eathen  out. 


?? 


Under  the  stern  tuition  of  the  army,  this  good-for- 
nothing  is  beaten  into  something  of  worth  to  the  English 
nation.  In  the  grim  hour  of  battle,  he  does  not  do  all  the 
things  he  has  been  taught,  perhaps  none  of  them  in  just 
the  way  he  was  taught,  but  the  training  holds  him  to 
his  post. 

"Of  all  'is  five  years'  schoolin'  they  don't  remember  much 
Excep'  the  not  retreatin'  the  step  an'  keepin'  touch. 


DISCIPLINE  119 

It  looks  like  teachin'   wasted  when  they  duck  an'  spread 

an'  hop, 
But  if  'e  hadn't  learned  'em  they'd  be  all  about  the  shop !" 

There  was  a  "No  Admittance"  sign  upon  a  building 
but  that  made  no  difference  to  the  boy  who  always  followed 
his  impulses.  He  walked  in  and  on  the  visit  ruined  much 
valuable  frescoing.  The  father  was  sued  for  damages,  but 
contended  that  the  building  should  have  been  locked  so  that 
the  boy  could  not  have  entered. 

The  judge,  however,  decided  for  the  builder,  and  ad- 
ministered this  reproof  to  the  father:  "Had  your  son 
been  taught  obedience,  this  would  not  have  happened.  The 
fault  is  entirely  yours." 

Many,  yes,  most  of  the  things  insisted  upon  in  the  school- 
room will  in  themselves  be  unimportant  when  school  days 
are  over.  Most  of  the  things  that  make  occasion  for  disci- 
pline are  evanescent,  applying  only  to  that  limited  life. 
It  makes  little  difference  in  the  act  itself  whether  a  boy 
or  girl  goes  out  of  the  north  door  or  the  south  door,  but 
if  the  comfort  of  the  school  demands  the  use  of  one  door 
or  the  other  at  a  certain  time  and  directions  have  been 
given  to  that  effect,  then,  in  justice  to  the  child,  he  must 
go  out  of  that  particular  door. 

Obedience  and  the  habit  of  obedience  are  far  more  im- 
portant than  the  event  itself.  The  habits  of  punctuality, 
accuracy,  and  faithfulness  to  the  thing  expected  of  the 
individual,  are  important  to  that  individual  as  long  as 
he  lives. 

The  keen  minds  of  children  soon  understand  whether 
they  will  have  to  obey  or  whether  by  teasing  or  cajoling 
they  can  eventually  get  their  own  way.  Home  conditions 
show  in  this  particular  to  a  certain  extent,  although  boys 


120  THE  TEACHER 

and  girls  who  are  trained  to  prompt  obedience  may  leave 
that  habit  behind  them  when  they  come  to  school,  if  they 
have    any    suspicion    that    they    will    not    be 
Teasing  required  to  obey. 

No  child  will  give  up  his  personal  desires 
without  a  struggle.  A  wise  decision  must  have  back  of 
it  a  good  reason.  This  must  be  patent  to  the  mind  of 
the  one  making  the  decision,  although  it  is  not  always 
necessary  to  take  the  child  into  one's  confidence.  Such  a 
decision,  made  after  clear  consideration  of  the  conditions, 
should  be  firmly  adhered  to.  Hasty  decisions  are  different, 
and  are  often  difficult  to  uphold. 

A  boy  one  day  asked  a  special  privilege  of  a  character 
such  that  under  favorable  conditions  it  might  have  been 
granted.  The  teacher  did  not  answer  at  once,  but  let  her 
mind  review  the  conditions.  Then  she  answered  rather 
slowly:  "No,  I  think  I  ought  not  to  allow  you  to  go. 
You  have  been  out  of  school  several  times  lately  and  your 
work  is  suffering ;  besides,  you  are  getting  restless  because 
of  these  irregularities.  I  am  sorry,  but,  in  justice  to  you, 
I  cannot  say  yes  this  time." 

"Oh,  please!"  he  pleaded.  "I  told  one  of  the  boys  who 
isn't  in  school  that  I  knew  you  would  excuse  me." 

The  teacher  made  no  reply.     She  had  given  her  answer. 

"Please  let  me  go !"  came  in  even  more  pathetic  tones 
from  the  boy. 

"You  heard  my  answer." 

"I  know,  but  I  want  to  go  awfully  and  I'll  make  up  all 
I  miss.  It  won't  make  any  difference  just  to  be  gone 
part  of  the  afternoon." 

"You  know  my  answer  was  not  given  hastily." 

But  the  boy  continued  to  tease. 


DISCIPLINE  121 

"Don't  you  know  that  teasing  will  do  no  good?  Is  that 
the  way  you  do  at  home  when  your  father  or  mother  refuse 
you  anything?" 

"Why,  yes,"  he  replied.  "If  they  say  I  can't,  I  just 
tease  and  tease  until  I  get  my  waj7." 

A  direction  once  given   should  be  as  effective  as  when 
repeated.       The    habit    of    repetition    is    easily    acquired 
and    needs    watching.      Children    require    but    brief    expe- 
rience   to    learn    how    to    gain    for   themselves 
a    few    extra    seconds    by    resorting    to    this    Repetition 
expedient. 

"Come  here,  Mary,"  said  the  teacher  in  a  gentle  tone. 

There  was  no  sign  from  Mary. 

"Mary,  come  here !"  repeated  the  teacher,  with  slightly 
added  force. 

Still  there  was  no  motion  toward  obedience. 

"Mary,  didn't  you  hear  me  tell  you  to  come  here?" 
This  time  there  was  no  uncertainty  of  tone  or  manner. 

"I  heard  you  the  first  time,"  said  Mary,  advancing 
slowly,  "but  I  was  waiting  for  you  to  holler." 

All  children  will  wait  for  the  teacher  to  "holler"  if  she 
is  in  the  habit  of  allowing  such  delay. 

Why  an  adult  should  entertain  anything  like  fear  for 
a  body  of  young  people  is  not  easy  to  explain,  but  most 
teachers,   when   they   stand   for   the   first  time 
before  a  roomful  of  children,  know  something    Pear 
of  a  peculiar  kind  of  fear. 

A  young  woman  once  forcibly  described  the  sensation 
when  she  said,  "I  feel  as  though  I  were  standing  at  the 
crater  of  a  volcano  that  might,  at  any  moment,  burst  into 
violent  eruption." 

One  thing,  however,  is  emphatically  true, — the  children 


122  THE  TEACHER 

must  never  suspect  that  the  slightest  quiver  of  fear  touches 
the  teacher  who  is  to  have  control  of  them.  To  let  this  idea 
find  lodgment  is  fatal. 

In  the  manner  of  everyone  who  hopes  for  success  as  a 
disciplinarian,  there  must  be  an  air  of  confidence.  This 
need  not  be,  must  not  be  egotistical ;  there  is  a  vast  differ- 
ence between  self-confidence  and  egotism.  One  is  desirable, 
the  other  to  be  avoided. 

There  can  be  no  uncertainty  in  voice  or  manner.  If 
the  first  element  of  it  creeps  in,  then  trouble  comes  with  it. 
Every  direction  must  be  given  and  every  request  made  as 
though  there  could  be  no  question  of  immediate  compliance. 
Disobedience  often  results  because  the  person  who  claims 
to  be  in  authority  almost  invites  it  through  the  tone  of 
voice  that  carries  no  confidence  but  rather  implies  that  dis- 
obedience is  expected ;  so  great  is  the  power  of  uncon- 
scious suggestion. 

There  is  a  way  of  speaking  that  brooks  no  disobedience. 
It  need  not  be  dictatorial  nor  given  with  any  outward 
flourish  of  authority,  for  it  is  possible  to  speak  naturalty 
but  with  a  suggestion  of  reserve  force  that  never  fails  of 
results. 

For  the  young  teacher  it  is  profitable  to  look  back  over 
her  own  school  days  and  pass  in  review  her  various  teachers. 
She  will  find  some  whose  authority  she  never  questioned, 
whom  she  always  obeyed,  not  through  fear  of  penalty,  but 
because  the  thought  of  doing  otherwise  never  entered  her 
head.  These  are  the  teachers  of  whom  she  carries  the  most 
pleasant  memories.  There  may  have  been  others  far  more 
indulgent,  often  far  more  considerate  of  personal  wishes, 
and  yet  these  are  not  the  ones  held  in  highest  regard. 
Young  people  will  fight  to  the  last  ditch  for  their  own  way 
and  yet  the  persons  whom  they  honor  the  most  are  those 


DISCIPLINE  123 

who  have  insisted   upon  their  eventually   doing  the   right 
thing. 

That  school  is  best  disciplined  in  which  there  is  the  least 
manifestation  of  authority ;  that  control  is  strongest  which 
is  gained  with  the  least  display  of  effort,  and 
with  the  least  friction.      When  this  condition    otscipMne 
exists   and   everything   apparently    runs   auto- 
matical^, there  is  sure  to  be  back  of  the  school  a  strong; 
guiding   hand  that   is   never   entirely   off  the   lever.      The 
skilled  engineer  handles  his  engine  without  display  of  en- 
deavor.    The  man  in  the  pilot  house  of  a  great  liner  who 
steers  a  true  course  and  leaves  a  straight  wake  behind  does 
it  with   perfect   ease   and  without   constantly   turning  his 
wheel. 

The  inexperienced  are  often  deceived  into  thinking  that 
because  a  thing  is  done  without  show  of  exertion  such 
exertion  is  not  necessary.  The  teacher  who  is  deluded  by 
the  appearance  of  ease  in  the  work  of  another  and  who 
attempts  to  imitate  this  appearance  and  the  appearance 
only,  falls  into  disaster.  The  beginner  cannot  expect  to  do 
anything  as  easily  as  the  trained  individual  and  the  begin- 
ning teacher  will  find  eternal  vigilance,  line  upon  line,  pre- 
cept upon  precept,  the  only  safe  daily  practice.  The  ease 
will  come,  but  only  after  continued  exertion. 

The  experienced  teacher  can  drive  with  a  loose  rein,  for 
she  knows  just  how  long  to  leave  it  loose  and  when  it  is 
necessary  to  let  the  school  feel  that  the  guiding  hand  is 
still  in  control.  Colts  sometimes  take  the  bit  in  their 
teeth  and  run  away  with  everything  if  they  feel  the  unsteadi- 
ness of  the  inexperienced  hand  upon  the  rein. 

When  things  do  not  go  as  they  should,  when  results  are 
unsatisfactory,  it  becomes  the  first  business  of  the  teacher 
to  sit  calmly  down,  and,  looking  the  situation  fairly  in  the 


124  THE  TEACHER 

eye,  ask  this  question,  "Where  have  I  made  a  mistake?" 

Nine  times  out  of  ten  the  teacher  will  discover  that  the 
fault  is  hers.  The  mistake  has  not  been  in  purpose,  gen- 
erally it  is  made  unconsciously ;  sometimes  it 
ixa  mi  nation  '1S  an  error  of  judgment,  sometimes  lack  of  con- 
trol, but  somehow,  somewhere  it  is  usually  hers, 
and  the  situation  must  be  faced. 

Sometimes  the  difficulty  may  be  so  slight  that  the  teacher 
need  only  learn  her  lesson  for  the  future.  Sometimes  it  may 
have  wrought  an  injustice  to  a  pupil  or  to  a  group  of 
pupils.  When  this  is  true,  but  one  course  is  open,  and 
that  is  a  frank  admission  of  the  wrong  and  a  spirit  of 
willingness  to  do  everything  possible  to  correct  the  mistake. 

Influence  with  young  people  is  never  lost  by  such  a 
course  unless  the  teacher  habitually  fall  into  error.  But 
this  cannot  or  should  not  occur,  for  one  who  is  always 
making  mistakes  soon  demonstrates  that  teaching  is  not  his 
legitimate  occupation.  Frank  acknowledgment  of  a  fault 
by  a  teacher  whose  judgment  is  usually  right  will  increase 
confidence,  but  stubborn  adherence  to  a  line  of  action 
manifestly  wrong  will  weaken  power. 

Every  teacher  is  human ;  occasional  mistakes  are  certain 
to  be  made. 


CHAPTER  X 

DISCIPLINE  SPECIFICALLY 
CONSIDERED 

In    these    days    of    educational    unrest,    brought    about 
through  eager  seeking  for  better  ways,  certain  fundamen- 
tal   principles    have    become    somewhat    clouded.      In    the 
attempt  to   get  away   from   despised  martinet 
methods,  there  has  been  a  tendency  to  break    license  a"d 
away  from  all  restraint. 

The  kindergarten  teaches  the  right  of  the  individual  and 
the  desirability  of  allowing  each  child  to  develop  according 
to  his  own  particular  characteristics  in  a  natural,  uncon- 
scious way.  This  idea  has  permeated  the  entire  educational 
system  and,  through  its  perversion,  has  completely  run  away 
with  some  teachers.  Natural  development  has  too  often 
come  to  mean  unrestrained  and  undirected  action.  The 
will  of  the  child  is  allowed  to  lead ;  he  must  be  entertained 
and  amused ;  his  desires  and  whims  must  never  be  thwarted. 
Some  educators  fail  to  discriminate  between  the  will  of  the 
child  and  the  nature  of  the  child.  Froebel  would  rise  from 
his  grave  and  walk  the  earth  in  indignation  could  he  know 
a  tithe  of  the  enormities  committed  in  his  name. 

The  liberty  of  the  individual  has  every  claim  to  the 
fullest  consideration,  but  there  is  a  decided  difference 
between  liberty  and  license.  The  former  should  never  be 
allowed  to  degenerate  into  the  latter,  for  such  degeneracy 
is  the  rankest  injustice  to  the  child. 

125 


126  THE  TEACHER 

The  liberty  that  belongs  to  the  school-room  is  the  liberty 
to  work  without  disturbance  or  distraction.  That  liberty 
the  teacher,  through  her  power  to  discipline  wisely,  must 
furnish  to  every  individual. 

A  school  is  a  community  and  must  always  be  considered 
as  such.  No  privilege,  no  consideration  can  be  granted 
to  any  member  which  is  detrimental  to  the  body  as  a  whole. 
To  this  extent  the  liberty  of  the  individual  must  be  held 
subservient  to  the  good  of  the  entire  group.  This  is  merely 
good  citizenship. 

There  are  two  ends  to  be  accomplished  through  punish- 
ment :  first,  reform ;  second,  prevention.  The  first  has 
largely  to  do  with  the  individual  punished  to 
Punishment  the  end  of  teaching  him  to  mend  his  ways;  the 
second  affects  the  school  in  general,  showing, 
through  example  of  the  prime  offender,  what  is  likely  to 
happen  to  anyone  found  in  similar  fault. 

The  difficulty  of  dealing  with  absolute  justice  arises  from 
this  double  obligation.  To  handle  each  pupil  alone  and  do 
no  violence  to  his  nature  would  be  comparatively  easy ;  to 
preserve  that  same  justice  when  he  becomes  a  part  of  organ- 
ized society  is  more  difficult.  The  general  good  of  the 
school  and  the  right  of  the  individual  are  both  to  be  kept 
constantly  in  mind.  The  teacher  must  preserve  both  with- 
out violence  to  either  interest. 

There  is  a  difference  even  in  different  days.  What  will 
be  effective  one  day  will,  for  some  unknown  reason,  accom- 
plish nothing  on  another.  One  must  feel  the  temper  of 
the  school  and  mete  out  punishment  accordingly. 

While  all  dealing  with  young  people  should  be  sympa- 
thetic, just,  and  considerate,  there  comes  a  time  when  it  is 
imperative  to  "be  cruel  only  to  be  kind."  No  hard  and 
fast  rules  can  be  laid  down  to  decide  when  this  time  comes ; 


DISCIPLINE  CONSIDERED  127 

the  decision  must  be  trusted  to  the   moment.      But   when 
the  hour  has   struck,  the   severe   and   merited  punishment 
must  be  administered  by  the   teacher  without 
flinching.  Severity 

There  is  a  way  of  doing  this,  however,  that 
reveals  the  velvet  hand  beneath  the  iron  glove.  In  the  first 
place,  it  must  be  just.  If  it  is,  the  offender  will  recognize 
the  fact  either  at  the  time  or  later.  In  the  second  place, 
the  culprit  must  know  that  there  is  no  personal  feeling 
in  the  action  of  the  teacher.    ' 

There  is  a  way  to  punish  and  to  punish  severely  so  that 
the  child  will  know  that  the  action  is  merely  the  just 
consequence  of  violation  of  law.  It  should  be  possible 
for  a  teacher  to  inflict  a  penalty  and  still  leave  upon  the 
pupil  the  impression  that  while  his  offense  is  not  condoned, 
the  kindly  regard  toward  him  is  unchanged. 

As  far  as  possible,  punishments  should  be  logical,  fol- 
lowing naturally   upon   the   offense.      The    cases   are   rare 
when  such  punishments  fail  to  be  accepted  as 
merited.     This  is  especially  true  of  boys.     As    Be  Logical 
a  rule  they  submit  to   punishment  with  much 
better  grace  than  girls.     If  they  violate  a  law,  they  take 
the  penalty  without  whimpering.      Their  very  willingness 
to  pay   often   makes   it   difficult  to   give   them   their  just 
deserts. 

It  is  not  always  easy  to  find  a  punishment  which  follows 
the  offense  logically,  but  when  it  can  be  done  the  effect  is 
impressive. 

A  particular  order  in  dismissal  for  luncheon  was  regu- 
larly followed  in  a  certain  school.  It  had  been  planned  to 
rotate  the  order  so  that  each  one  of  five  sections  went  first  on 
its  appointed  day.  That  made  it  fair  for  everybody.  The 
teacher  had  made  the  divisions  and  announced  the  order  to 


128  THE  TEACHER 

the  school  and  they  dismissed  themselves  each  day  without 
further  attention  from  her.  There  were,  of  course,  the 
few  lawless  members  to  be  found  everywhere  who  watched 
their  chance  to  get  out  ahead  of  time.  The  teacher  kept 
them  until  the  last  for  a  week  or  so  and  soon  broke  up  the 
tendency.  It  is  not  often  that  retribution  can  be  brought 
home  so  vitally  as  it  was  here  to  a  group  of  hungry  children. 

A  bov  had  been  sent  from  class  once  or  twice  as  a  means 
of  discipline  but  the  remedy  had  not  wrought  a  cure.  He 
was  a  bright  student  and  that  meant  for  him  just  so  much 
more  time  to  himself,  for  he  could  easily  keep  up  his  work 
and  be  out  of  class  once  in  a  while.  One  day,  when  he  was 
especially  troublesome,  the  teacher  did  not  send  him  out 
as  the  boy  evidently  expected,  but  directed  him  to  sit  in  the 
room  entirely  apart  from  the  rest  of  the  class,  adding: 
"I  shall  not  consider  you  a  member  of  the  class  and  you 
may  not  recite.  You  may  come  after  school  and  the 
length  of  your  recitation  then  will  depend  upon  your 
conduct  during  the  rest  of  the  hour." 

He  ceased  from  troubling  at  once.  That  was  a  bit  of 
good  discipline,  for  disorder  carried  its  own  logical  punish- 
ment, and  the  situation  was  practically  turned  over  to  the 
boy. 

A  Greek  teacher  left  a  class  of  three  boys  alone  for  five 
minutes  during  recitation  time.  They  had  work  enough 
to  keep  them  busy,  but  they  found  pelting  each  other  with 
chalk  far  more  interesting.  When  the  teacher  returned, 
the  floor  showed  the  effect  of  the  skirmish.  Any  teacher 
would  have  made  the  boys  pick  up  the  chalk,  and  so  did 
this  one ;  but  he  did  not  stop  there.  When  the  ammunition 
was  all  deposited  upon  his  desk,  he  told  them  to  report 
after  school. 


DISCIPLINE  CONSIDERED  129 

When  they  appeared,  the  chalk  was  divided  into  three 
equal  piles.  He  sent  the  boys  to  the  board  and  kept  them 
there,  writing  Greek  exercises  with  that  same  chalk,  until 
every  scrap  of  it  was  used  up,  and  he  made  them  wear  it  so 
close  that  they  scraped  their  finger-nails  uncomfortably 
in  the  process. 

They  took  the  punishment  in  good  nature,  for  they  knew 
they  deserved  it,  and,  besides,  they  learned  a  lot  of  Greek. 

There  is  equally  a  time  to  be  utterly  illogical.     The  good 
disciplinarian  will  know  when  that  time  comes,  although  it 
usually  arrives  unexpectedly,  growing  out  of 
the  conditions  as  the}7  develop  rapidly  in  han-    flf0Zl^s  be 
dling  an  individual  case. 

In  a  high  school  where  the  single  session  plan  was  used, 
it  was  the  custom  to  excuse  all  pupils  for  the  last  period 
if  their  work  for  the  day  was  completed.  Three  boys 
deliberately  left  school  at  about  the  middle  of  the  morning. 
When  the  principal  investigated  the  cases,  there  seemed  to 
be  no  extenuating  circumstances.  Two  of  the  boys,  under 
the  regulation,  were  at  liberty  to  go  the  last  period.  The 
principal  immediately  took  that  privilege  away,  requiring 
them  to  stay  in  the  assembly-room,  and  in  addition,  he 
directed  them  to  return  in  the  afternoon  for  extra  time. 
This  was  logical  punishment. 

Turning  to  the  other  boy,  whom  he  knew  but  slightly, 
he  asked,  "Are  you  excused  the  last  hour?" 

"No,"  growled  the  boy,  "I  can't  ever  get  away  unless  I 
run  away.  I  always  have  a  recitation  that  last  hour.  They 
won't  let  me  change  sections,  so  I  have  to  stay." 

The  principal  left  the  room  without  a  word.  When 
he  returned,  he  handed  the  boy  a  written  programme,  say- 
ing:     "I  have  changed  your  programme   so   you  will  be 


130  THE  TEACHER 

free  the  last  hour.  This  will  go  into  effect  today.  I  hope 
you  will  have  a  good  time." 

The  boy  looked  up  in  amazement,  not  even  thanking  the 
principal.     He  could  only  stare. 

"That  is  all,"  said  the  principal,  and  the  boy  passed 
out,  half -dazed  and  not  quite  understanding  why  he  had 
not  received  the  punishment  meted  out  to  his  fellow  cul- 
prits. But  the  treatment  produced  the  desired  effect.  That 
boy  never  again  ran  away  from  school,  and  his  confidence 
in  the  principal  knew  no  bounds. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  treat  every  case  like  every  other 
case,  even  though  all  seem  to  be  infractions  of  the  same 
law.  One  must  never  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  a  school 
is  made  up  of  individuals  each  one  different  from  every 
other  one.  Even  the  individual  changes  from  time  to  time. 
What  is  good  for  one  may  be  the  worst  possible  thing  for 
another. 

So  far  as  possible,  do  the  unexpected.  When  a  school 
learns  that  a  certain  punishment  will  regularly  follow  a 
certain  offense,  they  become  used  to  it  and  it 
Unexpected  loses  its  force.  Individuals  will  endure  it  for  a 
time,  and  will  then  discover  that,  like  other 
discomforts,  it  is  easier  to  bear  after  each  repetition,  until 
soon  all  the  efficacy  of  the  punishment  is  gone. 

Boys,  particularly,  after  having  experienced  a  penalty, 
will  begin  deliberately  to  count  the  cost  and  sometimes 
will  decide  that  they  are  willing  to  pay. 

For  instance,  suppose  there  should  be  some  particular 
social  attraction  to  which  certain  young  people  are  entirely 
free  to  go  early  in  the  afternoon.  The  temptation  to  cut 
school  may  be  very  strong  to  those  not  free.  Suppose  a 
fixed  penalty  for  such  offense  is  the  making  up  of,  say, 


DISCIPLINE  CONSIDERED  131 

five  or  six  fold  the  lost  time.  A  boy  may  be  perfectly  will- 
ing to  pay  the  price  even  when  it  seems  exorbitant.  If  he 
can  thus  surely  count  the  cost,  he  may  be  glad  to  draw 
on  the  future  for  time  which  holds,  so  far  as  he  knows,  no 
such  promise  of  delight  as  does  this  particular  afternoon. 
But  when  the  penalty  is  unknown,  when  the  pupil  cannot 
guess  with  any  degree  of  certainty  what  the  consequences 
will  be,  but  knows  only  that  he  will  get  full  measure,  he 
decides  as  most  of  us  do,  that  it  is  better  to 

"Bear  those  ills  we  have 

Than  fly  to  others  that  we  know  not  of." 

The  unexpected  that  turns  pleasantly  is  also  a  good 
influence.  And  right  here  I  should  like  to  emphasize  the 
fact  that  the  pleasant  acts  of  a  teacher  are  among  the 
most  effective  disciplinary  agencies.  The  more  kindly, 
considerate,  interesting  things  a  teacher  can  find  to  do 
during  the  course  of  the  day,  the  greater  her  power  and 
efficiency. 

It  is  surprising  how  full  a  day  is  of  such  opportunities : 
it  is  equally  surprising  how  blind  many  teachers  are  to 
them.  No  one  can  tell  another  what  to  do  in  this  direction. 
Each  teacher  must  studv  her  own  school,  take  stock  of  her 
particular  opportunities,  and  have,  above  all,  a  deep  human 
interest  that  sees  deeper  than  formalities,  that  knows  the 
state  of  the  child's  mind  and  reads  aright  its  needs. 

A  certain  gentleman  delights  to  tell  how  algebra  was 
taught  in  a  school  which  he  frequently  visited. 

As  he  sat  by  the  teacher's  side,  a  boy  with  the  scowl  of 
perplexity  and  undue  nervous  strain  upon  his  face  came 
for  help. 


132  THE  TEACHER 

"I  can't  get  that  example,"  he  said,  and  the  scowl  deep- 
ened as  he  whined  out  his  complaint.  "I've  worked  it  over 
a  dozen  times  and  it  comes  out  just  the  same  every  time." 

The  teacher  never  looked  at  the  example  at  all  but  studied 
the  boy's  face. 

"Have  you  your  skates  here?"  was  her  irrelevant  ques- 
tion. 

"Yes,"  came  from  the  surprised  boy,  for  he  did  not  see 
what  that  had  to  do  with  algebra. 

"Leave  your  book  on  my  desk,  put  on  your  skates,  and 
go  out  and  skate  half  an  hour." 

She  was  a  wise  teacher,  a  good  disciplinarian.  She  knew 
that  longer  confinement  in  the  school-room  would  result 
only  in  restlessness  on  his  part,  and,  at  this  juncture,  he 
could  learn  more  algebra  skating  than  he  could  attempting 
to  hold  a  fagged  brain   to  longer   attention. 

The  teacher  upon  whom  the  pupils  cannot  reckon  from 
day  to  day  is  usually  apt  to  keep  them  pretty  well  in  hand. 
She  may  not  play  the  game  according  to  set  rules,  but  she 
is  likely  to  win. 

In  this  connection  there  comes  to  mind  a  dear  old  man 
who  used  to  play  chess  against  all  the  good  players  in  the 
little  town,  and  was  usually  victorious.  His  opponents 
often  complained  that  he  played  a  very  irregular  game; 
that  he  did  not  make  the  conventional  openings  and  in 
various  other  ways  failed  to  follow  scientific  development. 
His  methods  so  completely  disconcerted  them  that  they 
never  knew  what  he  was  going  to  do  next. 

One  evening,  having  said  "Checkmate"  to  his  opponent, 
who  was  complaining  of  these  peculiarities,  he  turned  upon 
him  with  this  question,  "But  I  beat  you,  don't  I?" 

The  player  could  not  deny  the  fact,  nor  that  he  did  it 
honestly  although  unconventionally. 


DISCIPLINE  CONSIDERED  133 

Monotony   becomes   as   ineffective   in   discipline   as   else- 
where.     To   do  the  same  thing  over  and  over  again  will 
soon  defeat  its  own  purpose.     We  all  get  used 
to  everything,  even  punishment.     The  teacher    Monotony 
whose  methods  are  varied  and  interesting,  who 
is  resourceful,  and  whose  actions  cannot  be  reckoned  upon, 
is  pretty  sure  to  have  her  school  under  good  control. 

The  restless,  uneasy  boy  that  is  in  every  school,  had  left 
his  seat  frequently  and  had  moved  about  the  room  when 
it  was  disturbing  to  his  neighbors.  The  teacher  had  ex- 
hausted the  usual  and  evident  methods  with  no  effect.  He 
was  a  keen-witted  youth,  as  that  type  generally  is,  so  she 
was  sure  of  his  quick  appreciation.  She  took  from  her 
desk  a  piece  of  ordinary  twine.  She  tied  one  end  of  this 
about  his  arm  and  the  other  end  to  the  back  of  the  desk. 
Neither  teacher  nor  pupil  spoke,  although  both  smiled  in 
the  process.  The  plan  succeeded,  and  for  the  rest  of  the 
period  the  boy  sat  quietly  in  his  seat,  looking  occasionally 
with  an  amused  expression  at  the  frail  restraining  band. 

That  experiment  worked  once  and  worked  well,  but  a 
repetition  of  it  would  have  been  a  failure. 

A  bo}^  put  on  the  board  an  especially  badly  written  exer- 
cise. The  teacher  looked  at  it  in  disgust,  then,  with  the 
flat  side  of  the  chalk  he  enclosed  it  with  the  outline  of  a 
traveling  bag,  exclaiming,  "There,  take  that  home  with  you 
and  don't  ever  bring  it  back  here !"  The  criticism  was 
picturesque,  but  a  repetition  of  it  would  have  been  stupid. 

Ingenuity,  keenness  of  wit,  is  a  valuable  asset,  but  there 
is  danger  of  falling  into  the  pit  of  repetition.  Nothing 
is  more  tiresome  than  the  man  or  woman  who  tells  the 
same  old  story  or  the  same  old  joke  over  and  over  again. 
Whenever  the  unusual  is  resorted  to  in  discipline,  the  same 
kind  of  care  must  be  exercised  to  avoid  repetition.     How- 


134  THE  TEACHER 

ever,  the  individual  who  is  keen  enough  to  think  out  the 
unusual  thing  is  generally  keen  enough  to  avoid  this  fault. 

Good  discipline  comes  rarely  as  the  result  of  much  talk- 
ing. The  teacher  whose  words  fall  with  the  incessant 
patter  of  rain-drops  will  soon  find  the  children  with  their 
umbrellas  of  indifference  raised  for  protection. 

Two  friends  were  talking  near  an  open  window  while 
the  little  daughter  of  one  of  them  played  just  outside. 
The  attention  of  the  mother's  friend  was  attracted  by  the 
voice  of  the  child.  Listening  to  what  the  child  was  saying, 
she  discovered  that  she  was  repeating  at  intervals,  "Yes, 
mother,"  "All  right,  mother." 

The  mother  had  the  habit  of  talking  constantly  to  the 
child,  telling  her  not  to  do  this  or  not  to  do  that,  but  always 
in  a  perfectly  amiable  tone.  This  had  gone  on  so  long 
and  so  continuously  that  the  child  had  ceased  to  give  it  any 
attention.  Now,  hearing  her  mother's  voice,  and  not  know- 
ing or  caring  what  she  was  saying,  she  was  answering  auto- 
matically while  she  continued  her  own  pursuits  without 
interruption.     She  had  put  up  her  umbrella. 

But  even  when  an  offense  must  have  correction,  it  is 
not  always  wise  to  administer  it  at  once.  It  may  not  be 
easv  to  wait,  but  a  little  wisdom  in  thus  waiting; 
Time  will    often    make    correction    profitable    when 

open  reproof  at  the  time  will  defeat  its  pur- 
pose. No  one,  big  or  little,  likes  to  have  his  faults  pub- 
lished, and  usually  it  is  wiser  to  wait  until  you  can  talk 
with  the  pupil  alone.  Never  humiliate  a  child  if  it  can  be 
avoided.  Under  all  circumstances  try  to  preserve  his  self- 
respect. 

In  "The  Widow  O'Callaghan's  Boys,"  the  whole  philoso- 
phy in  this  line  is  summed  up  in  that  good  lady's  decision 
as  to  the  best  method  of  dealing  with  the  oldest  of  her 


DISCIPLINE  CONSIDERED  135 

six   boys    when    she    found    it    necessary    to    reprove    him. 

"There's  toimes  to  be  speakin'  and  toimes  to  be  kapin' 
still.  Niver  a  word  must  I  be  say  in'  till  the  rest  of  'em's 
abed,  and  it's  hard  waitin',  so  it  is.  It's  my  belafe  that's 
what  makes  some  boys  so  unruly — takin'  'em  at  the  wrong 
toime.  Sure  and  boys  has  their  feelin's  loike  the  rest  of 
the  world.  Spake  to  'em  by  their  lone  silves  when  you've 
aught  to  say  to  'em.  There's  niver  a  man  of  'em  all,  not 
even  Gineral  Brady  himself  would  loike  bein'  bawled  at  in 
a  crowd  about  somethin'  that  needed  thinkin'  over." 

Having  punished  and  punished  severely,  the  account 
should  be  considered  settled,  "the  wet  sponge  drawn  across 
the  accusing  slate." 

Reprove  a  pupil  severely  for  a  particular  fault  and  be 
strong  enough  not  to  sulk  at  him  at  other  times.      Many 
weak    teachers   will   find    themselves   unable    to 
treat    a    pupil    the    same    after    correction    as    Sulking 
before.      To  offend  in  one  particular  does  not 
necessarily  mean  that  boy  or  girl  is  not,  in  other  respects, 
worthy    the    same    consideration    as   before    the    particular 
offense.      Instead  of  discriminating  against  the  pupil,  it  is 
well  sometimes  to  watch  for  an  opportunity  to  show  him, 
as  soon  as  possible,  that  you  bear  him  no  ill-will. 

There  are  countless  little  services  which  a  teacher  nat- 
urally asks  of  the  boys  and  girls  and  which  they  are  glad 
to  perform.  If  a  child  has  been  brought  to  correction, 
when  the  next  little  office  is  to  be  performed,  do  not  forget 
the  offender  and,  if  he  is  one  of  two  or  three  who  might 
naturally  be  called  upon,  give  him  the  preference.  If  an 
opportunity  does  not  come  readily,  then  be  ingenious 
enough  to  invent  one. 

It  takes  a  big  individual  to  do  this.  The  child  who 
has  been  guilty  of  a  serious  fault  is  too  often  put  outside 


136  THE  TEACHER 

the  pale  of  kindly  regard;  the  teacher  descends  to  the 
level  of  the  untutored  and  sulks  at  the  offender.  If  this  is 
human  nature,  fight  against  it,  and  when  there  arises  an 
occasion  when  one  must  be  especially  severe  to  a  child,  find 
a  chance  as  soon  as  possible  to  be  especially  kind  to  him. 
Seek  out  some  little  service  to  ask  of  him,  think  out  some- 
thing to  say  far  removed  from  the  scene  of  battle,  use 
the  utmost  ingenuity  to  prove  that  your  personal  feelings 
are  only  of  the  kindest.  He  will  not  expect  it,  for  he 
always  assumes  that  the  recent  fault  is  as  insistent  in  your 
mind  as  in  his.  He  is  hugging  it  so  close  to  his  own  vision 
that  he  can  see  nothing  else.  The  teacher  must  help  him 
remove  it  to  the  proper  distance, — get  it  into  right  per- 
spective. In  other  words,  because  a  pupil  has  offended 
in  one  particular,  that  is  no  reason  for  making  him  an 
outcast. 

Here  the  Great  Teacher  becomes  the  model.  Did  He 
ever  compromise  with  wrong?  Was  He  ever  other  than 
kind  and  tender  to  the  offender?  Like  Him,  the  worthy 
teacher  must  learn  to  "take  the  sin  bv  the  throat  but  the 
sinner  by  the  hand." 

Many  slight  irregularities  occur  in  the  school-room  that 
are  unimportant,  and  if  they  are  not  stimulated  to  growth 
by  undue  attention  from  the  teacher,  will  pass 
Ephemeral  m^°  forgetfulness  over  night.  If  the  matter 
in  hand  is  only  a  trifle,  is  merely  a  fleeting 
case,  then  be  careful  not  to  overestimate  its  importance. 
It  is  surprising  how  many  things  will  right  themselves  if 
left  alone.  The  good  disciplinarian  will  have  enough  to  do 
without  taking  up  unimportant  things  and  magnifying 
them  into  great  ones. 

Every  successful  teacher  must  possess  what  artists  call  a 
sense  of  values.     All  offenses  in  school  are  not  of  equal  im- 


DISCIPLINE  CONSIDERED  137 

portance  and  one  must  be  able  to  judge  them  relatively. 
A  lie  is  worse  than  a  burst  of  laughter;  a  noisy  boy  is 
not  as  unpardonable  as  a  quiet  sneak. 

A  school  was  once  torn  to  its  foundations  because  the 
teacher  lacked  this  power  of  discrimination.  He  allowed 
himself  to  show  annoyance  at  little  things.  The  school 
soon  recognized  this  weakness  and  were  not  slow  in  invent- 
ing trivial  ways  of  tormenting  him. 

One  day  a  boy  in  the  back  of  the  room  put  his  foot  upon 
a  steel-tipped  penholder.  By  rolling  it  back  and  forth 
with  his  foot,  he  found  that  it  made  a  delightfully  irritating 
crackling  sound.  It  was  a  mean  little  trick,  but,  had  he 
been  left  alone,  the  boy  would  soon  have  tired  of  it,  and 
there  would  have  been  no  story  to  tell.  But  with  this  man 
such  a  course  was  impossible.  He  stopped  his  recitation, 
called  the  boy  to  his  desk,  thus  attracting  the  attention  of 
everybody  in  the  room,  and  then  he  said  the  wrong  thing 
to  him. 

The  boy  grew  angry  and  so  did  the  teacher,  and  the 
trifling  first  offense  resulted  in  the  boy's  dismissal  from 
school.  Even  then  serious  consequences  might  have  been 
averted,  but  the  wrath  of  the  teacher  increased  as  he  thought 
about  it,  and  he  finally  said  that  if  the  boy  were  reinstated 
in  school  he  would  leave. 

The  superintendent  and  the  board  investigated  the  case. 
They  did  not  consider  the  rolling  of  a  penholder  a  crime  nor 
loss  of  temper  a  sufficient  reason  for  keeping  the  boy  per- 
manently out  of  school.  They  decided  that,  with  proper 
acknowledgment  of  his  fault,  which  the  boy  was  perfectly 
willing  to  make,  he  might  go  back.  They  had  heard  the 
teacher's  ultimatum,  but  they  assumed  that  it  was  merely 
the  result  of  momentary  anger. 

The  boy  made  courteous  attempts  toward  full  amends, 


138  THE  TEACHER 

admitting  that  the  fault  was  all  his,  but  his  advances  were 
repulsed  and  the  teacher  left  the  school.  He  did  it  in 
haste  and  regretted  it  very  soon. 

Many  such  foolish  tricks  will  die  a  natural  death  if  left 
to  themselves.  Occasionally  these  small  disturbances  are 
really  accidental ;  when  they  are  not,  it  is  sometimes  politic 
to  assume  that  they  may  be,  and  pay  no  attention.  If 
they  are  intended  to  annoy,  then  ignoring  the  matter  robs 
the  joke  of  its  point,  and  all  pleasure  in  continuing  it  is 
lost. 

Many  things  that  look  to  a  teacher  like  disorder  the 
school  will  not  notice  at  all  unless  attention  is  called  to 
them  by  reproof.  These  are  often  the  result  of  atmos- 
pheric conditions,  sometimes  nothing  but  your  own  nervous- 
ness. 

There  is  great  power  in  taking  the  attitude  of  expecting 
that  everything  will  go  as  it  should.  Suspicion  invariably 
arouses  cause  for  suspicion.  Watch  a  pupil 
Optimism  needlessly  and  he  will  soon  give  you  something 
to  watch.  Assume  that  there  is  nothing  to 
watch  and  much  that  might  have  made  trouble  will  never 
come  to  the  surface. 

A  school  takes  instinctively  the  attitude  of  the  person  in 
charge.  The  masterful  individual  will  be  master  and  that, 
too,  without  any  spectacular  show  of  authority.  He  will 
usually  accomplish  this  by  going  steadily  about  his  busi- 
ness and  trusting  the  rest  to  follow. 

A  man  who  had  had  long  and  successful  experience  in 
teaching  gave  to  his  son  who  was  just  entering  upon  the  pro- 
fession this  bit  of  very  sane  advice:  "You  go  ahead  and 
teach  and  let  them  behave." 

There  is  great  wisdom  in  that  one  word,  "let"  Many 
teachers  will  not  let  a  school  behave. 


DISCIPLINE  CONSIDERED  139 

Whoever  stands  in  a  position  of  responsibility  is  com- 
pelled to  make  frequent  criticisms,  but  he  should  strive  con- 
stantly to  get  on  with  as  few  as  possible.     The 
very  purpose  of  criticism  is  often  defeated  by   Nagging 
continually  hammering  away  at  the  same  thing. 

The  strain  of  living  with  a  certain  group  of  boys  and 
girls  all  day  long,  day  after  day,  is  considerable  and  some- 
times things  get  close  to  one's  nerves.  When  this  is  true, 
the  cause  of  disturbance  which  we  attribute  to  something 
else  may  exist  in  ourselves.  Some  particular  boy  may  have 
been  troublesome  until  patience  is  worn  threadbare.  The 
teacher  begins  to  nag  and,  when  that  happens,  injustice  is 
sure  to  follow.  To  fall  into  the  nagging  habit  is  easy 
and  the  reflex  action  upon  the  nagger  is  perhaps  the  worst 
thing  about  it.  By  constantly  noticing  a  fault  and  speak- 
ing about  it  every  time  it  is  noticed,  both  offense  and 
offender  eventually  get  on  to  the  nerves  and  the  way  to 
effective  criticism  is  blocked. 

An  especially  troublesome  boy  once,  in  a  burst  of  irrita- 
tion, said  to  his  teacher,  "You  just  watch  me  and  find  fault 
with  me  all  the  time,  but  the  others  do  exactly  the  same 
things  and  you  don't  say  a  word." 

His  remark,  was  startling,  for  he  and  the  teacher  were 
really  the  best  of  friends. 

Thinking  for  a  moment,  she  answered,  "I  believe  you  are 
right.  You  have  disturbed  me  so  often  and  so  long  that 
I  can't  help  being  conscious  of  your  every  action.  No 
doubt  I  have  been  nagging  you  without  realizing  it,  but 
I  will  stop.  Let  us  make  a  bargain.  For  a  week,  no  matter 
how  much  you  may  disturb  me,  I  will  try  not  to  call  you 
to  order  before  the  school.  On  the  other  hand,  I  want  you 
to  promise  to  take  some  thoughtful  responsibility  of  your 
own  actions.    Help  me  get  you  off  my  nerves  and  back  into 


140  THE  TEACHER 

the  same  relative  position  that  the  others  occupy  and  where 
I  can  see  your  actions  in  right  proportions." 

The  compact  was  sealed.  Each  succeeding  day  things 
went  better  and  by  the  end  of  the  week  the  teacher  was  sur- 
prised to  discover  that  there  were  hours  when  she  did  not 
think  of  the  boy  at  all.  She  could  not  remember  when  he 
had  been  entirely  off  her  mind.  By  deliberately  turning 
her  back  upon  his  faults,  her  morbid  sensitiveness  to  his 
every  move  had  disappeared,  he  had  slipped  back  into  his 
normal  place  among  the  rest  of  the  boys,  she  had  ceased 
to  nag,  and  her  nerves  were  restored  to  healthful  strength. 

Probably  nothing  is  more  fatal  to  good  discipline  than  a 

set  of  rules  with  a  fixed  penalty.     Did  any  teacher  ever 

announce  such  a  set  that  the  first  violation  of 

Rules  them  was  not  an  exception  calling  for  special 

consideration    and   not   an    application    of   the 

prescribed  penalty? 

It  is  a  part  of  good  management  to  avoid  such  a  con- 
tingency. Rules  and  the  need  for  them  will  decrease  as 
power  in  control  increases.  This  does  not  in  the  least 
imply  any  slip-shod  way  of  doing  things.  Rules  may  exist 
in  the  mind  of  the  teacher,  or  they  may  even  be  announced, 
but  it  is  not  necessary  to  take  the  school  into  full  confidence. 

A  teacher  may  determine  very  definitely  the  standard  to 
which  she  wishes  to  bring  a  room ;  it  is  well  to  fix  pretty 
clearly  in  mind  what  will  be  done  in  cases  where  individuals 
do  not  come  up  to  those  standards,  but  the  statement  should 
never  take  the  form  of  a  threat  as  to  what  will  be  done  if 
any  pupil  offends  in  any  one  particular.  Trouble  is  sure 
to  follow.  The  situation  may  be  perfectly  clear  in  the 
teacher's  mind  that  a  particular  punishment  should  be  the 
consequence  of  a  particular  offense,  but  just  as  sure  as 
public  announcement  is  made  of  the  fact,  just  so  sure  is  the 


DISCIPLINE  CONSIDERED  141 

first  culprit  bound  to  be  boy  or  girl  whom  the  conditions 
do  not  fit  at  all  and  upon  whom  the  carrying  out  of  the 
threatened  course  of  action  is  bound  to  work  injustice. 

Ideal  schemes  always  work  with  perfect  smoothness,  but 
toss  into  them  the  human  element  and  there  is  a  hitch  in 
the  machinery  at  once. 

Discipline  exists  for  the  sake  of  the  school,  for  the  sake 
of  assuring  to  the  school  that  liberty  before  mentioned,  the 
liberty  to  work  without  interruption.  To  this  end  certain 
directions  should  be  given,  certain  conventions  established. 
These,  in  the  mind  of  the  teacher,  may  amount  to  rules, 
and  there  should  be  just  as  great  insistence  in  seeing  that 
they  are  fulfilled  as  though  they  had  been  presented  as  iron- 
clad orders. 

To  accomplish  this,  eternal  vigilance  is  necessary.  Noth- 
ing can  be  allowed  to  slip  out  of  the  teacher's  controlling 
hand,  but  all  this  should  be  accomplished  with  as  little 
show  of  authority  as  possible.  It  calls  for  intensive  appre- 
ciation of  the  individual.  A  smile,  a  sharp  reproof,  a  look, 
a  touch  of  the  hand,  a  lifting  of  the  eyebrow,  is  often  suf- 
ficient when  relations  between  teacher  and  pupil  are  right. 
Sometimes  the  most  uncompromising  severity  is  the  only 
course;  sometimes  playfulness,  a  bit  of  pleasant  humor, 
will  solve  the  question. 

Let  the  way  be  what  it  may,  if  only  hard  and  fast  rules 
are  allowed  to  be  little  in  evidence. 

It  is  sadly  true  that  some  teachers  sink  to  the  level  of 
children  when  dealing  with  them.  They  show  no  more  con- 
trol, no  more  breadth  of  nature,  often  no  more    .._.„ 

#  7  "When   I 

maturity.    Because  a  child  has  offended  in  some    ^eca,me  a 
little  particular,  they  sulk  at  him  for  the  rest 
of  the  day,  sometimes  longer.     It  reminds  one  of  the  trick 
of  our  childhood  when,  having  taken  offense  at  a  playmate. 


142  THE  TEACHER 

we  put  forth  that  fearful  threat,  "I'll  never  speak  to  you 


again !" 


In  this  connection,  it  might  be  well  for  teachers  often 
to  ponder  the  words,  "When  I  was  a  child  I  spake  as  a 
child,  I  thought  as  a  child,  I  understood  as  a  child,  but 
when  I  became  a  man  I  put  away  childish  things." 

Unfortunately,  it  is  often  true  that  childish  things  are 
not  put  entirely  away.  Unless  a  teacher  can  prove  herself 
bigger  than  the  child,  more  generous  in  attitude,  more 
ready  to  overlook  mistakes,  she  is  not  ready  to  be  his  guide. 
Personal  feeling  has  no  place  in  this  relation.  What  the 
child  does  to  the  teacher,  what  he  says  to  the  teacher,  is 
unimportant  except  as  it  throws  light  upon  the  child's 
nature.  The  all-important  thing  is  that  the  teacher  be  big 
enough  and  wise  enough  to  set  the  feet  of  the  child  in  the 
better  way  and  to  hold  him  there  with  steady  guiding  hand 
until  he  is  strong  enough  to  go  alone. 

For  successful  discipline  there  is  no  better  motto  than  is 
found  in  those  words  of  Amiel:    "Be  swift  to  love;   make 

haste  to  be  kind!" 
Final|y  In  all  reverence  let  it  be  said:  there  should 

always  be  something  of  the  Christ  attitude  in 
dealing  with  young  people.  With  Him  there  was  no  con- 
doning a  fault,  no  compromise  between  right  and  wrong, 
no  lack  of  severity  when  necessary,  but  through  it  all  His 
great  love  for  the  individual  shone  radiant  and  tender. 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  RECITATION 

In  the  early  organization  of  schools,  the  standard  for 
the  recitation  was  pretty  thoroughly  covered  by  the  diction- 
ary definition  of  the  word:  "The  rehearsal  by  a  pupil  or 
student  of  a  lesson  or  exercise  to  a  teacher  or  other  person ; 
a  meeting  of  a  class  for  the  purpose  of  being  orally  ex- 
amined in  a  lesson." 

Under  this  organization  a  certain  number  of  lines,  pages, 
examples,  or  what  not,  was  assigned  for  a  particular  lesson. 
The  next  day  the  pupil  was  expected  to  recite  again  this 
specific  measure  of  facts,  often  in  the  exact  words  of  the 
text.  This  was  what  education  then  stood  for.  Today  we 
know  that  the  recitation  means  vastly  more  than  that,  and 
yet  our  class  work  follows  largely  the  old  model. 

The  time  may  come  when  the  recitation  as  we  now  con- 
duct it  will  be  abolished  and  the  individual  will  be  helped  by 
the  schools  to  the  highest  training  of  which  he  is  capable. 

This  emancipation  cannot  come  all  at  once,  but  little  by 
little  the  educational  body  will  develop  school  work  toward 
an  ideal  perhaps  not  yet  sighted.  In  the  meantime  most 
schools  will  have  to  proceed  with  the  days  divided  into 
recitation  periods,  and  each  teacher  must  do  her  best  during 
the  allotted  time. 

How  clear  are  teachers  generally  as  to  the  purpose  of 
the  recitation?  How  many  have  a  definite  idea  as  to  what 
should   finally   be   accomplished   through   it?      Custom   has 

143 


144  THE  TEACHER 

long  prescribed  a  certain  form,  and  the  generally  accepted 

plan  of  conducting  recitations  still  follows  too  closely  and 

too  woodenly  this  old  established  order.     We 

of  the  cling  to  the  relic  of  the  past  although  many 

Recitation  &  .  ...  •         •      .. 

progressive  teachers  are  putting  inspiration 
through  independent  ways  into  the  class  work. 

The  school  once  held  that  it  had  done  its  full  duty  if, 
within  a  given  time,  it  had  crammed  a  certain  number  of 
facts  into  the  pupil's  head. 

This  is  no  longer  the  standard.  The  recitation  is  for  the 
development  of  mental  power,  and  this  word,  power,  should 
ever  stand  before  the  teacher's  mind  in  big  capitals.  Every 
minute  of  the  recitation  that  gives  to  the  child  added  power 
is  serving  its  purpose ;  every  minute  that  fails  to  develop 
power  is  worse  than  wasted. 

The  first  step  in  this  direction  must  be  the  establishment 
of  right  working  relations  between  teacher  and  pupils.  Too 
often  the  teacher  is  on  one  side  of  the  ques- 
ofttpupi?8  tion,  with  the  class  individually  or  collectively 

arrayed  on  the  other.  The  recitation  becomes 
a  sort  of  game  in  which  the  pupil  tries  to  conceal  his  igno- 
rance from  the  teacher,  while  the  teacher  uses  all  the  arts 
known  to  the  trade  to  trap  him ;  a  fencing  match  in  which 
the  teacher  is  always  looking  for  an  opening  in  the  defense 
of  the  pupil  and  proudly  calls  a  touch  if  she  succeeds  in 
getting  past  his  guard. 

The  pupil  comes  fearfully  to  the  recitation  upon  the 
lesson  assigned  the  day  before  which  he  has  studied  as 
best  he  could  in  a  vague,  uncomprehending  way.  If  the 
majority  of  the  class  do  moderately  well,  another  allotment 
of  difficulties  is  meted  out  and  they  are  sent  away  to  floun- 
der around  in  them  for  another  twenty-four  hours. 


SPIRIT  OF  THE  RECITATION  145 

The  person  who  goes  to  a  physician  frankly  reveals  to 
him  the  physical  weakness  for  which  he  is  seeking  aid.  He 
realizes  that  he  is  the  loser  if  he  conceals  any  troublesome 
symptoms  that  may  have  a  bearing  upon  the  unhealthy 
condition.  The  patient  is  seeking  help  and  before  the 
physician  can  give  it,  he  must  know  the  truth. 

The  teacher  stands,  or  should  stand,  in  the  position  of  a 
willing,  eager  helper  to  young  people.  The  first  step  should 
be  to  inspire  such  confidence  that  the  pupil  will  be  willing 
to  let  the  teacher  know  that  the  lesson  assigned  has  offered 
difficulties  too  great  for  his  present  powers  to  master.  In- 
stead of  being  ashamed  of  this  seeming  ignorance,  he 
should  be  made  to  feel  that  the  recitation  is  held  partly  for 
the  purpose  of  rinding  out  where  each  child  needs  wise  assist- 
ance. 

This  attitude  is  not  easily  obtained,  for  there  are  genera- 
tions of  acceptance  of  the  false  one  behind  us,  but  it  is 
imperative  that  it  eventually  be  established.  Even  then,  con- 
stant watchfulness  is  necessary  to  maintain  it. 

For  whom  does  the  recitation  exist,  the  class  or  the 
teacher?  Surely  it  must  be  for  both.  If  the  efficiency  of 
the  pupil  falls  below  the  standard,  it  usuallv    „ 

L     ±  .  Responsi- 

will  be  found  that  the  efficiencv  of  the  teacher   biiity  of  the 

J      e  Teacher 

is  belowT  par.  The  test  of  one  is  the  test  of 
the  other.  Repeated  failure  on  the  part  of  the  pupil  can 
generally  be  charged  up  to  failure  somewhere  on  the  part 
of  the  teacher.  If  the  class  reports  sum  up  each  week 
with  low,  very  low,  standings  for  a  majority  of  the  class, 
then  the  teacher  is  at  fault.  She  may  be  attempting  more 
than  the  class  is  prepared  to  do ;  she  may  not  have  the 
ability  to  hold  them  up  to  the  best  that  they  are  capable 
of;   she  is  failing  in  inspirational  power  or  in  some  other 


146  THE  TEACHER 

particular.  Let  her  never  for  a  moment  try  to  place  the 
blame  elsewhere,  but  diligently  search  out  her  own  fault. 
Honest  endeavor  will  soon  reveal  it. 

It  goes  without  saying  that  the  teacher  must  be  familiar 

with  the  subject  to  be  taught.     The  familiarity  may  not 

be    of   very    long    standing,    and   every    good 

Preparation      teacher  will  know  more  about  a  lesson  at  its 

close  than  at  the  beginning  of  the  recitation. 

Daily  preparation  is  demanded  for  each  day's  work.  This 
consists  of  a  clear  knowledge  of  the  topic  to  be  brought  up 
that  day  and  also  a  fairly  definite  acquaintance  with  the 
lesson  to  be  assigned.  This  is  necessary  for  a  right  conduct 
of  the  class  work  and  a  just  dividing  of  time  between  the 
various  parts. 

No  matter  how  familiar  one  may  think  he  is  with  a  given 
subject,  when  he  attempts  to  instruct  another  in  that  same 
subject,  it  immediately  becomes  clouded  with  vagueness  and 
loses  sharpness  of  detail. 

It  is  one  thing  to  know  geography  in  a  general  way;  it 
is  quite  a  different  matter  to  be  ready  with  accurate  informa- 
tion on  the  rivers,  lakes,  cities,  and  industries  of  any  given 
countiy  and  to  be  able  to  trace  the  physical  or  social  con- 
ditions that  brought  this  or  that  region  into  prominence 
and  prosperity. 

To  be  clear  and  accurate  upon  the  comparatively  simple 
subjects  of  the  lower  grades  will  require  very  much  more 
definite  study  on  the  part  of  new  teachers  than  most  of 
them  suspect.  Even  after  long  experience,  there  will  still 
remain  the  necessity  of  careful  preparation  upon  each 
lesson. 

As  one  goes  higher  and  higher  in  the  grades  this  neces- 
sity for  preparation  becomes  increasingly  insistent.  Arith- 
metic has  problems  that  sometimes  do  not  yield  their  cor- 


SPIRIT  OF  THE  RECITATION  147 

rect  answers  at  the  first  touch ;  the  English  language  offers 
many  tangles. 

Not  only  should  the  lessons  for  each  day  be  carefully 
studied,  but  the  teacher  should  keep  far  enough  ahead  of 
the  classes,  in  this  special  preparation,  to  allow  sufficient 
time  for  unforeseen  difficulties.  They  are  sure  to  lie  in 
ambush  ahead. 

It  will  not  be  sufficient  just  to  keep  even  with  the  class 
or  a  day  or  two  ahead  of  it,  but  the  teacher  should  study, 
really  study,  far  ahead. 

More  than  that,  a  teacher's  preparation  must  far  outrun 
that  just  technically  demanded  for  the  particular  recita- 
tion. To  teach  the  simplest  thing  well,  there  must  be  in 
the  mind  of  the  teacher  a  wide  background  of  knowledge 
that  may  never  appear  in  the  class-room.  It  is  none  the 
less  valuable,  for  it  gives  the  teacher  confidence  in  herself, 
helps  throw  into  the  foreground  the  important  points,  and 
makes  for  greater  general  efficiency*. 

The  constant  aim  in  teaching  should  be  to  simplify,  not 
to  make  difficult.     Troubles  enough  arise  after  the  teacher 
has   done   all  in  her  power  to   make  the  way 
plain.  Simplicity 

The  ability  to  seize  upon  the  salient  points 
and  hold  them  clearly  up  to  the  view  of  the  class  is  a  most 
desirable  accomplishment.  To  do  this,  one  must  possess  a 
mind  trained  to  a  sense  of  values  and  must  be  able  to  take 
hold  of  the  point  or  points  to  which  all  the  rest  of  the 
subject  is  naturally  attached.  Every  subject,  every  phase 
of  a  subject,  has  some  features  that  are  vital.  These  are 
the  ones  to  emphasize,  and  the  ones  which  the  class  should 
be  trained  to  select  for  themselves. 

All  life  is  a  matter  of  selection,  of  taking  what  really  is 
vital  to  the  condition. 


148  THE  TEACHER 

The  inexperienced  teacher  will  take  too  much  for  granted 
in  the  attainments  of  the  class.     There  will  be  a  tendency  to 

depend  upon  a  single  impression. 
i^DNii3"06  Drill!  drill!  drill!     Review!  review!  review! 

must  be  the  watchword  of  every  recitation  for 
him  who  hopes  to  attain  lasting  results. 

A  young  man  in  his  first  year  of  teaching  had  classes 
in  geometry.  He  was  well  prepared  in  the  subject-matter, 
knew  his  geometry,  was  interested  in  teaching,  was  enthu- 
siastic, and  the  class  all  liked  him.  Each  day's  work  was 
well  presented  and  the  mathematical  points  carefully  and 
clearly  brought  out.  Everything  seemed  to  be  going  well ; 
both  teacher  and  class  were  satisfied.  No  one  was  at  all 
disturbed  except  the  study-room  teacher  in  whose  presence 
the  class  made  its  preparation.  It  seemed  to  her  that  geome- 
try was  not  sufficiently  in  evidence  in  the  hours  devoted  to 
study.  She  gained  the  impression  that  the  pupils  were 
taking  the  matter  too  lightly  and  were  thinking  themselves 
prepared  when  they  had  not  spent  the  time  necessary  for 
mastery. 

She  spoke  of  it  to  the  teacher,  but  he  assured  her  that 
the  students  were  all  making  excellent  progress  and  that 
failure  in  recitation  was  almost  unknown.  Such  a  statement 
did  not  quiet  the  fears  of  the  experienced  teacher,  but  she 
could  do  nothing  more. 

When  examinations  were  held,  they  proved  that,  while 
each  day's  class  work  might  have  been  done  fairly  well, 
there  had  been  no  real  mastery  of  the  subject  except  by 
two  or  three  pupils  of  that  type  who  need  no  teacher, 
anyway.  The  result  showed  almost  complete  failure  and  no 
one  was  more  surprised  over  it  than  the  teacher. 

His  fault  was  in  taking  too  much  for  granted  and  for- 


SPIRIT  OF  THE  RECITATION  149 

getting  that  the  young  mind  cannot  take  the  pace  of  the 
older  one.  He  assigned  lessons  that  were  too  long,  went  too 
rapidly  over  the  fundamentals,  took  the  recitation  of  one  or 
two  as  representative  of  the  class  attainment,  and  did  too 
much  of  the  reciting  himself.  He  had  not  understood  that 
satisfactory  results  in  geometry  could  be  gained  only  by 
very  slow  work  at  first,  with  particular  attention  in  recita- 
tions to  logical  development  of  subject-matter  and  to  form 
of  expression.  He  had  gone  too  rapidly  and  had  lost  sight 
of  the  importance  of  drill.  He  had  also  taken  it  for  granted 
that  his  work  consisted  in  seeing  that  the  lessons  were 
assigned  and  the  various  points  once  brought  to  the  atten- 
tion of  the  class,  assuming  that  they  would  do  the  rest. 

Repetition  is  of  the  utmost  importance.  One  of  the 
greatest  teachers  this  country  has  ever  known,  Professor 
Edward  Olney,  of  the  University  of  Michigan,  once  said 
that  one  example  done  ten  times  carried  more  teaching  value 
than  ten  examples  done  once. 

Whoever  has  tried  this  expedient  knows  that  this  is  the 
truth.  By  this  he  did  not  mean  copying  the  solution  the 
required  number  of  times,  but  an  independent  attacking  of 
a  particular  problem,  attacking  it  repeatedly  until  its  solu- 
tion becomes  automatic. 

Even  a  fairly  clear  knowledge  of  an  example  is  not 
possible  to  the  young  mind  through  a  single  solution. 

Here  is  a  method  which  is  good  for  both  pupil  and 
teacher :  collect  the  papers  for  the  day,  then  set  the  pupils 
immediately  to  reproducing  them.  Both  they  and  you  will 
be  surprised  at  the  difference  in  the  character  of  the  two 
papers  and  that  difference  does  not  indicate,  either,  that  the 
first  papers  were  not  honestly  prepared. 

Not  seven  times  seven,  but  seventy  times  seven ;  line  upon 


150  THE  TEACHER 

line ;  precept  upon  precept ;  getting  over  and  over  again 
accurate  responses  to  oft-repeated  questions,  will  produce 
results,  and  nothing. else  will. 

Through  the  recitation,  the  habit  of  studying  together 
can  be  watched.  It  is  not  easy  for  the  pupil  to  see  the 
dangers  of  this  practice.  This  is  particularly 
Together  difficult    as    the    results    are    not    all    harmful. 

Sometimes  it  is  the  very  best  thing  that  can 
be  done.  With  all  due  respect  to  the  power  of  experience, 
it  is  also  true  that  pupils  can  occasionally  be  of  greater 
assistance  to  each  other  than  the  very  best  of  teachers.  The 
subject  should  be  made  one  of  frequent  discussion  in  class 
and  the  teacher  should  guard  against  the  condition  which 
allows  the  weak  pupil  to  become  a  parasite  upon  the  brain 
of  another. 

It  is  good  for  two  minds  of  equal  caliber  to  discuss  a 
lesson  together  if  this  does  not  become  a  matter  of  daily 
occurrence.  The  great  danger  comes  when  two  pupils  study 
together  with  a  division  of  labor.  For  instance,  two  young 
girls  regularly  prepared  their  Cicero  lesson  together.  One 
had  almost  a  genius  for  apprehending  Latin  construction. 
Even  before  she  knew  the  meaning  of  half  the  words,  she 
could  see  their  grammatical  relation  and  be  sure  of  the  con- 
struction of  the  sentence.  The  other  one  had  an  excellent 
verbal  memory.  She  furnished  rapidly  the  root  meaning  of 
the  words  and  the  first  one  turned  them  into  satisfactory 
translation.  The  result  was  very  quick  preparation  of  each 
day's  lesson.  The  girl  who  furnished  the  meaning  of  the 
words  could  never  work  out  a  satisfactory  translation  alone ; 
the  other  never  attained  a  good  vocabulary  and  so  her 
advanced  study,  when  she  and  her  friend  had  gone  different 
ways,  was  laborious,  keeping  her  always  tied  to  a  lexicon. 

It  is  a  good  device,  once  in  a  while,  to  let  those  who  have 


SPIRIT  OF  THE  RECITATION  151 

mastered  a  difficult  lesson,  especially  in  mathematics,  turn 
themselves  into  teachers  for  the  others,  assigning  one  or 
more  pupils  to  each  pupil  teacher.  The  effect  is  good  upon 
all.  The  explanation  of  the  young  mind  may  strike  home 
surer  than  anything  that  the  adult  could  offer. 

As  everywhere  else,  routine  is  a  deadly  element  when  it 
enters  the  class  room.     As  soon  as  pupils  can  reckon  what 
is  to  be  done,  they  glide  calmly  into  indifference 
and  let  the  recitation  go  on  without  their  inter-    Monotony 
est.     Constant  alertness  is  necessary  to  keep  a 
class  awake.     Expedients  must  be  invented,  and  the  teacher 
must  appear  to  the  class  "new  every  morning." 

A  minister  who  was  considered  very  successful  and  inspir- 
ing was  asked  how  he  held  the  attention  of  the  congregation 
to  his  sermons. 

"There  is  nothing  new  to  preach  to  them,"  he  replied. 
"The  gospel  is  as  old  as  Christ  and  Him  crucified,  and  yet 
the  message  must  be  preached  Sunday  after  Sunday,  the 
same  message,  the  same  truth.  To  make  it  strike  home,  I 
strive  for  new  and  startling  ways  of  presentation." 

The  same  is  true  in  the  school-room.  English,  geography, 
and  arithmetic  are  more  or  less  the  same  yesterdav,  today? 
and  forever  in  vital  principles,  at  least.  But  these  must 
be  taught  to  each  succeeding  generation. 

The  teacher  who  remains  long  in  the  service  has  great 
need  to  guard  against  dullness  and  monotony  in  her  work. 
Here  the  }Toung  teacher  has  a  decided  advantage.  She 
brings  to  the  work  fresh  enthusiasm,  and  often  wins  where 
the  more  experienced  teacher  rattles  only  the  dry  bones  of 
the  subject,  to  the  terror  and  disgust  of  the  children. 

Ingenuity  is  an  important  factor  in  a  teacher's  equip- 
ment. One  resource  after  another  may  fail  to  pierce  the 
clouded  dullness  of  a  child's  mind.     Nothing  daunted,  let 


152  THE  TEACHER 

the  teacher  seek   out  and  bring  into  service  surrounding 

objects,   a   good   story,   anything   that   will   do   the   work. 

But  let  her  never  give  up  until  the  idea  that 

fulness06"         sne  *s  after  comes  crystal  clear  to  the  mind 

before  her. 

The  young  mind  does  not  readily  grasp  abstractions. 
None  of  us  ever  get  so  old  that  a  subject  may  not  be  illu- 
minated by  the  concrete.  All  literature  for  teachers  is  full 
of  suggestions  for  the  application  of  the  concrete.  English 
has  its  illuminating  pictures  for  the  younger  children,  its 
acting  of  dramatic  scenes  for  all  ages.  To  appreciate  the 
importance  of  this  element,  it  is  only  necessary  for  us  to 
recall  how  much  more  vivid  to  us  are  the  plays  of  Shakes- 
peare which  we  have  seen  produced  than  those  which  we 
have  merely  read. 

In  this  attempt  to  arouse  interest,  the  work  should  have 
variety.  The  method  that  will  do  one  day  will  have  no 
effect  on  another.  Classes  have  moods  just  as  people  do, 
and  these,  carefully  studied,  will  suggest  the  right  method 
of  reaching  the  mind.  Whole  classes  will  sometimes  show 
excessive  sensitiveness  and  apparent  irritation.  The  weather 
conditions  are  frequently  responsible  for  this.  Let  the 
cause  be  what  it  may,  it  calls  for  counteraction,  and  the 
teacher  is  the  one  to  apply  the  remedy. 

A  rapid  fire  of  sharp,  terse  questions  will  often  accom- 
plish the  result ;  sometimes  it  must  be  a  story,  and  in 
extreme  cases  the  very  work  itself  must  be  laid  aside,  but 
in  some  way  the  lethargy  of  the  class  must  be  done  away 
with. 

There  is  a  good  lesson  in  a  story  told  by  a  leading  super- 
intendent, although  the  method  might  not  find  approval  in 
these  days  of  tender  handling  of  the  young. 

His  early  school  days  were  spent  in  the  typical  district 


SPIRIT  OF  THE  RECITATION  153 

school  and  evidently  under  a  forceful  teacher.  One  particu- 
lar day  a  young  boy  had  been  too  indolent  to  prepare  his 
arithmetic  lesson  and  too  indifferent  to  give  attention  in 
class.  When  called  upon  to  explain  an  example,  he  gave 
the  teacher  the  common,  irresponsible  "I  don't  know  how," 
and  immediately  lapsed  into  pleasant  dreams  as  far  removed 
as  possible  from  the  scene  of  action. 

Another  boy  was  called  upon,  and  he  made  a  creditable 
recitation. 

"Henry,  now  explain  that  example,"  said  the  teacher  to 
the  first  boy. 

Now  Henry  had  once  failed  honorably  and  completely. 
What  right  had  the  teacher  to  call  upon  him  again  ?  Of 
course  he  had  not  heard  a  word  of  what  had  been  said,  and 
again  answered,  "I  don't  know." 

"Come  here,  Henry,"  said  the  teacher. 

The  boy  advanced  to  the  platform,  where  the  instructor 
stood  slightly  above  him,  with  his  forefinger  shut  into  the 
arithmetic  to  keep  the  place.  With  the  book,  the  teacher 
gave  the  boy  two  rousing  blows  one  on  each  side  of  the 
head. 

"Now  explain  that  example,"  was  the  order  in  a  tone 
that  demanded  compliance. 

"And  I  explained  it,"  said  the  boy,  grown  to  manhood 
when  he  told  the  story,  "and  I  explained  it  with  a  clearness 
never  before  reached  in  that  class  or  in  any  other.  I  had 
simply  been  too  lazy  to  think." 

This  case  was  not  an  exceptional  one  and,  although  we 
may  not  commend  the  vigorous  blows  on  the  head,  some- 
thing equally  startling  and  effective  must  be  among  the 
resources  of  anyone  who  would  succeed  in  the  teaching 
profession.  There  must  be  an  occasional  jar  sufficient  to 
produce  crystallization  in  the  quiet  water  of  the  mind. 


154  THE  TEACHER 

The  time  comes  occasionally  when  it  is  best  for  the 
teacher  to  do  all  the  work.  This  is  especially  true  when  a 
new  topic  that  requires  development  is  to  be  taken  up. 
When  this  is  the  case,  it  has  a  good  effect  to  announce  that 
you  propose  to  do  the  reciting  yourself  that  day.  This 
part  of  it  is  easy,  but  to  recite  in  such  a  manner  as  will 
carry  the  class  with  you  is  more  difficult.  Without  doing 
this  }^our  recitation  is  a  failure.  The  test  of  what  you  have 
accomplished  comes  the  next  day,  when  you  insist  that  the 
class  give  back  to  you  the  salient  points  of  your  recitation. 

Sometimes  it  is  well  to  have  no  recitation  at  all,  especially 
in  mathematics,  but  to  turn  the  time  into  a  laboratory 
period.  A  part  of  good  teaching  lies  in  teaching  pupils  to 
study.  This  is  best  done  by  giving  a  certain  amount  of 
time  to  watching  the  pupils  work,  standing  ready  to  help 
where  help  is  needed,  criticizing  methods  that  are  wrong, 
and  on  the  whole  getting  a  clear  view  of  individual  faults. 

Teachers  are  too  prone  to  thrust  their  own  ideas  upon 

the  minds  of  the  pupils.     Many  of  them  become  dictatorial, 

instead  of  following  the  mind  of  the  individual 

the'chiid  child.     They  decide  what  is  best  for  him,  and 

then  proceed  to  cram  it  into  his  head. 

A  class  had  been  given  a  particular  written  exercise  in 
which  they  were  to  draw  upon  their  own  minds  for  the 
subject-matter. 

"Of  course,"  said  one  boy,  "I  can  think  of  lots  of  things 
to  say,  but  they  are  not  the  things  the  teacher  wants  me  to 
think,  so  it's  all  wrong." 

Read  that  again  and  then  think  about  it. 

Another  example  is  equally  forcible. 

In  a  test  in  high  school  English,  the  question  was  asked : 
"Was  Johnson  justified  in  paraphrasing  the  twenty-third 
psalm  ?" 


SPIRIT   OF   THE   RECITATION  155 

The  topic  had  been  discussed  in  class  and  the  teacher 
had  expressed  his  opinion,  in  fact,  had  forced  it  upon  the 
pupils.  In  marking  the  papers,  to  all  who,  following  his 
instructions  and  agreeing  with  him,  had  said  "No,"  he  gave 
100  per  cent.  If  they  said  "Yes,"  although  they  gave  a 
reason  for  the  thought  that  was  within  them,  and  expressed 
it  in  good  English,  he  marked  zero. 

What  right  has  any  teacher  to  dictate  what  a  child  shall 
think?  So  long  as  one  deals  with  youth,  he  knows  not  in 
what  presence  he  stands. 

In  an  English  class  in  a  certain  western  city,  there  once 
sat  a  quiet,  self-possessed  lad  who  was  not  counted  an 
unusual  student  except  in  the  marked  thoroughness  with 
which  he  did  everything  he  undertook.  He  did  not  write 
better  than  some  others  in  the  class,  but  he  had  read  much 
and  intelligently,  had  traveled,  and  had  been  allowed  to 
indulge  his  love  for  outdoor  life.  The  dreams  of  youth 
were  his.  He  carried  visions  of  shimmering  brook  and  leap- 
ing trout  and  flashing  wave ;  of  birds,  and  trees,  and 
flowers ;  of  floating  clouds  and  the  flash  of  fierce  storms. 
The  countless  voices  of  "The  Silent  Places"  had  spoken  to 
him,  and  he  had  learned  early  the  language  of  the  open. 

Since  then  he  has  written  of  "The  Forest,"  "The  Sea," 
and  of  all  life  in  the  free  outdoors  in  a  way  to  place  him 
among  the  writers  of  note  in  our  own  generation.  Such 
a  one  succeeds  in  spite  of  all  kinds  of  teaching,  for  "Genius 
finds  its  own  road  and  carries  its  own  lamp." 

The  one  hope  of  the  English  teacher  of  that  boy  is  that 
by  conventional  methods  she  did  not  seriously  delay  his 
progress,  did  not  stand  too  much  in  his  way  with  futile 
attempts  to  dictate  where  she  should  have  found  her  place 
as  follower  and  willing  assistant. 

Under  the  present  school  system,  it  not  infrequently  hap- 


156  THE  TEACHER 

pens  that  the  mind  of  the  child  becomes  hysterical.     Just 
so  much  ground  has  to  be  covered,  and  the  teacher  drags, 
drives,    and   pushes   the    class    on   to   the   end 
Repose  which   must   be    reached  within   a   given   time. 

The  brightest  pupils  keep  the  pace  with  some 
degree  of  comfort,  the  average  child  arrives  breathless, 
while  the  rest  are  pulled  along,  their  intellectual  feet 
scarcely  touching  the  ground.  The  spirit  of  the  age,  the 
spirit  of  rush  and  haste,  has  entered  the  lives  even  of 
children.     Mental  repose  has  little  place  today  in  education. 

A  class  of  eight  boys  had  been  studying  "The  Lady  of 
the  Lake,"  using  one  of  the  approved  edited  copies.  The 
poem  had  been  analyzed  and  individual  words  discussed. 
The  literary  side  had  not  been  entirely  ignored,  but  it  had 
been  subordinated  to  the  dissecting  of  the  composition,  and 
so  appeared  in  a  somewhat  scrappy  way  through  occasional 
reading  of  passages  by  teacher  or  pupil. 

One  day,  after  such  a  reading,  one  of  the  boys  exclaimed, 

"Oh,  Miss  C ,  when  we  get  through  studying  this,  can't 

we  read  it?" 

The  sequel  is  equally  pregnant  with  meaning.  They  did 
read  the  poem,  and  at  the  close  of  the  first  day's  continuous 
reading,  this  same  boy  raised  both  hands  and,  waving  them 
excitedly,  exclaimed,  "Oh,  please  don't  ask  us  any  ques- 
tions !    Let  us  just  think  about  it." 

It  was  a  sad  commentary  upon  the  hysterical  condition 
of  our  schools,  when  a  child  had  to  beg  for  an  opportunity 
to  think. 

No  needless  obstacles  should  be  placed  in  the  way  of  the 
pupil.     He  should  be  given,  as  far  as  possible, 
m"ntUrage'       a  c^ear  field  for  the  exercise  of  his  powers. 

Besides  this,  the  child  is  rare  who  does  not 
need   encouragement  and  whose   success   or  failure  is  not 


SPIRIT  OF  THE  RECITATION  157 

more  or  less  dependent  upon  sympathetic  interest.  The 
case  of  a  small  boy  in  a  settlement  school  in  a  western 
city  carries  a  good  lesson  on  this  particular  point. 

Tom  was  a  sturdy  little  athlete,  and  won  most  of  the 
races  and  other  contests  of  strength.  Through  various  win- 
some traits  he  had  found  his  way  to  the  heart  of  the  teacher 
and  she  was  always  interested  in  his  success. 

One  day  arrangements  had  been  made  for  a  foot-race. 
Several  boys  were  to  run,  but  everybody  was  sure  Tom 
would  win. 

The  preliminaries  were  settled,  the  race  started,  and  the 
boys  were  off  over  the  course.  Tom  led  free  and  clear  for 
about  half  the  distance.  Then,  to  the  surprise  of  every- 
body, Johnny  began  to  gain  on  him.  Jim  was  just  behind 
Johnny  and  running  vigorously. 

Tom's  feet  seemed  to  grow  heavy,  and  Johnny  steadily 
decreased  the  distance  between  them  until  finally  he  shot 
past  Tom  and,  with  a  sudden  spurt,  gained  the  goal  fully 
five  }Tards  in  advance.  Jim  was  close  behind  and  he,  too, 
sped  over  the  line  a  little  ahead  of  Tom. 

"What  was  the  matter?"  asked  the  teacher,  as  the  de- 
feated boy  came  toward  her  with  tears  streaming  down  his 
face. 

His  only  answer  was  a  sob. 

"Tell  me  what  happened,  Tom." 

Tom  dug  his  knuckles  into  his  eyes  to  dry  his  tears,  and 
tried  to  tell  his  story. 

"I  started  all  right,  you  know." 

"Yes,  you  led  them  all  for  half  the  distance." 

"But  when  I  got  half  way  around,  the  boys  began  to 
call,  'Go  it,  Johnny,  you're  second !'  'Hustle,  Jim,  you're 
gaining!'  'Run,  Johnny,  run;  you're  most  up  to  him!'  but 
nobody  said  'Go  it,  Tom !'  and  somehow  it  got  into  my  legs 


158  THE  TEACHER 

and  they  wouldn't  go,"  and  Tom,  dropping  to  the  ground 
in  a  heap,  cried  as  though  his  heart  would  break. 

There  is  a  good  lesson  in  this  for  all  teachers.  The 
human  being  does  not  exist  who  does  not  need  encourage- 
ment. Many  failures  can  be  charged  to  the  fact  that  at  the 
critical  moment  there  was  no  one  to  say  "Go  it,  Tom." 

An  examiner  of  schools  for  one  of  the  state  universities 

recently  said  that  in  the  score  of  schools  which  he  visits, 

it  is  the  exception  to  find  a  teacher  holding  the 

and6 Interest     attention  of  all  or  even  of  a  majority  of  the 

class. 

It  is  easy  to  teach  one  individual  at  a  time,  but,  through 
class  work,  to  teach  every  individual  at  the  same  time,  is 
difficult.  Too  often  the  pupil  who  is  on  his  feet  is  the  only 
one  who  profits  by  the  recitation ;  the  others  sit  in  more  or 
less  patient  submission — sometimes  we  are  very  grateful  if 
it  is  patient — until  the  welcome  bell  closes  the  period  of  dull- 
ness. Two  minutes  is  fully  up  to  the  average  that  can  be 
allotted  to  each  pupil  in  the  usual  recitation.  If,  during 
the  rest  of  the  time,  the  twenty  or  more  are  sitting  in  listless 
endurance,  what  a  failure  the  recitation  becomes !  What  a 
travesty  such  a  recitation  is  upon  real  teaching ! 

One  of  the  hardest  things  for  a  new  teacher  to  do  is  to 
be  sensitive  to  inattention.  It  is  so  easy  to  become  absorbed 
in  the  subject-matter  under  consideration  that  the  listless- 
ness  of  the  class  will  entirely  escape  notice. 

The  teacher  must  learn  to  be  sensitive  to  every  condition 
around  her,  must  keep  the  point  of  the  lesson  clearly  in 
mind,  must  not  allow  the  slightest  confusion  in  the  intel- 
lectual clearness  with  which  the  subject  is  handled.  At  the 
same  time  she  must  be  conscious  of  its  effect  upon  every 
individual;  be  able  to  detect  the  very  instant  at  which  one 


SPIRIT  OF  THE  RECITATION  159 

single  mind  wanders  from  the  discussion,  and  be  inventive 
enough  to  bring  it  back. 

Do  not  be  deceived  by  the  eye  fixed  steadily  upon  you. 
The  mind  may  be  playing  that  afternoon's  ball  game  or 
thinking  over  the  last  automobile  ride,  or  dangling  an  en- 
ticing worm  in  some  shady,  rippling  stream.  In  fact, 
the  good  teacher  must  be  sensitive  to  countless  conditions 
and  influences  that  may  well  and  easily  pass  the  observation 
of  the  ordinary  individual. 

Such  a  teacher  will  feel  the  pull  of  each  mind  upon  her 
own  just  as  the  driver  of  a  circus  wagon  feels  the  strain  of 
each  of  the  sixteen  or  eighteen  horses  upon  the  reins  which 
are  in  his  hands.  He  knows  the  instant  one  settles  back  in 
harness,  letting  the  lines  fall  slack  as  he  ceases  to  pull  his 
share  of  the  load. 

The  teacher  must  be  like  the  conductor  of  a  great 
orchestra  holding  each  instrument  to  close  attention  to  the 
score  so  that  it  will  be  ready  to  take  up  its  part  at  the 
slightest  signal. 

This  may  seem  like  idealism,  but  it  is  a  condition  pos- 
sible of  attainment,  and  now  and  then  a  teacher  does  gain 
such  control  of  a  class.  Even  if  daily  results  do  not  always 
reach  this  height,  it  is  the  standard  that  should  constantly 
be  held,  for  results  do  not  outrun  ideals. 

Pupils  should  be  trained  to  follow  closely  the  trend  of 
the  recitation ;  trained  to  that  alert  attention  which  drives 
each  interrogation  straight  at  every  individual  and  gains 
from  the  particular  one  called  upon  either  a  correct  answer 
or  some  other  prompt  intimation  that  the  question  has 
struck  home. 

No  one  can  place  too  great  an  estimate  upon  the  effect 
of  voice  and  manner  on  a  class.     There  are  teachers  who 


160  THE  TEACHER 

drone  along  in  a  monotonous,  humdrum  way,  giving  per- 
fectly lucid  and  scholarly  explanations,  asking  clear-cut 
questions  but  spoiling  the  effect  of  what  might 
Manner"0*  otherwise  be  good  teaching  by  lack  of  forceful 
speech  or  compelling  manner.  Instead  of 
keeping  pupils  alert  and  up  to  the  mark  these  teachers  lull 
them  into  gentle  quietude  where  they  can  dream  the  hour 
pleasantly  away. 

There  comes  to  mind  the  picture  of  just  such  a  teacher. 
Her  branch  was  English  and  she  was  well  qualified  men- 
tally for  the  subject.  She  was  a  woman  of  wide  reading, 
of  sensitive,  poetic  nature,  and  possessed  of  excellent  abil- 
ity. She  loved  her  work  and  was  devoted  to  her  particular 
department.  In  spite  of  all  this,  however,  her  classes  often 
wandered  off  into  dreamland  and  she  never  missed  them. 
With  some  literary  favorite  in  her  hand,  she  would  take 
her  place  before  the  class  and,  in  a  musical,  low-pitched 
voice,  float  off  upon  some  poetical  flight,  leaving  the  class 
mere  mortals  upon  a  lower  plane. 

In  contrast  to  this  case  is  that  of  a  young  man  who 
taught  the  same  subject.  He,  too,  loved  his  subject,  but  in 
addition  he  had  the  gift  of  being  an  inspiring  teacher.  In 
poetic  appreciation  he  went  far,  but  somehow  he  never  left 
the  class  behind  him.  This  was  the  more  remarkable,  as  the 
class  was  all  boys. 

No  matter  how  intelligent  they  may  be,  it  is  unfortu- 
nately true  that  boys  are  not  addicted  to  the  reading  habit, 
and  when  they  do  read  it  is  not  the  masterpieces  of  English 
literature.  Yet  in  a  surprisingly  short  time  this  man  had 
even  the  least  intellectually  inclined  pupil  interested  in  some 
great  writer.  One  boy  had  never  read  at  all  and  no  one 
thought  he  had  anything  in  him  to  which  the  finer  subtleties 
of  a  poet  would  appeal,  but  he  became  intensely  interested 


SPIRIT  OF  THE  RECITATION  161 

in  Shakespeare.  The  teacher  read  to  him  with  an  insistent, 
modulated,  sympathetic  voice.  Under  this  inspiration,  the 
boy  read  play  after  play  with  absorbing  interest  and  appre- 
ciation. 

Another  teacher  was  talking  with  the  boy  about  his  read- 
ing and  mentioned  his  own  delight  in  a  certain  play.  His 
remark  elicited  this  spontaneous  response  from  the  boy: 
"That's  all  right,  but  I  tell  you,  Hamlet's  got  'em  all 
skun  to  death." 

His  English  may  be  open  to  criticism,  but  who  shall  say 
that  he  had  not  some  appreciation  of  the  master  when  he 
reached  such  a  conclusion  just  from  his  own  reading  and 
held  it  with  really  deep  feeling? 

The  two  cases  are  extreme  ones,  but  there  is  wide  range 
of  educational  dullness  lying  between  them.  Only  now  and 
then  does  a  teacher  possess  the  unusual  charm  which  be- 
longed to  the  young  man  ;  only  occasionally  is  a  teacher  so 
lost  to  surroundings  as  to  let  a  class  get  entirely  away  from 
her  as  in  the  case  first  cited.  But  in  every  recitation,  if 
voice  and  manner  of  teacher  are  not  forceful  and  attractive, 
there  is  bound  to  be  much  waste  energy,  much  inability  to 
reach  with  power  the  entire  class. 

A  boy  once  aptly  characterized  this  type  of  teaching,  and 
in  the  story  there  is  a  whole  volume  of  unwritten  pedagogy. 

He  was  in  an  algebra  class  reciting  to  a  young  man 
who  was  really  an  exceptional  teacher  in  many  ways,  but 
very  calm,  sometimes  to  the  extent  of  appearing  indif- 
ferent. He  was  master  of  his  subject,  clear  in  his  teach- 
ing, and  insistent  in  his  demand  for  good  work. 

The  boy  in  question  went  to  the  principal  asking  for 
transfer  to  another  section  under  another  teacher.  When 
asked  the  reason  he  gave  a  striking  reply. 

"Well,"  he  said,  "you  know,  I'm  kind  of  dull  and  stupid, 


162  THE  TEACHER 

and  while  Mr.  A  is  all  right  and  a  good  teacher,  and  I 
like  him,  you  see,  Mr.  B  hollers  louder." 

Mr.  B's  manner  of  "hollering"  did  not  consist  entirely 
of  shouting  at  a  class,  although  he  could  do  that  when 
necessary,  but  he  was  a  forceful,  picturesque  teacher,  who 
kept  every  member  of  his  class  wide  awake  al]  the  time, 
and   failure   there   was    almost   unknown. 

A  large  part  of  the  inefficiency  of  all  work  can  be  charged 
to  the  fact  that  the  teacher  fails  to  "holler"  loud  enough 
to  arouse  the  minds  of  the  class.  There  are  more  ways, 
too,  of  "hollering"  than  by  raising  the  voice ;  in  fact,  this 
should  be  resorted  to  only  in  extreme  cases.  One  of  the 
most  effective  mathematics  teachers  spoke  rarely  in  class, 
never  raised  his  voice  above  a  low  conversational  tone ;  yet 
by  some  peculiar  power  all  his  own  he  could  hold  a  class 
of  forty  or  more  in  close  and  comprehensive  communica- 
tion with  his  own  mind.  They  followed  his  guidance  and 
direction  perfectly  and  the  progress  made  in  every  recita- 
tion would  be  beyond  the  belief  of  the  ordinary  teacher. 

The  close  of  a  recitation  should  be  reached  with  the 
topic  for  the  day  well  rounded  to  completeness.  It  should 
be  like  the  end  of  a  good  story  which  comes 
Recitationded  ou^  pleasantly  with  a  clear  picture  of  all  the 
characters  before  the  mind.  If  there  is  turmoil 
at  the  end,  if  the  topic  has  not  become  clear,  if  a  part  of 
the  lesson  has  not  been  well  covered,  then  something  is 
wrong,  either  in  the  assignment  or  in  the  matter  of  class 
handling. 

The  recitation-rooms  upon  whose  boards  examples  are 
left  with  wrong  results  or  which  reveal  incorrect  processes, 
are  proof  that  poor  teaching  has  been  done  that  day.  It  is 
not  always  possible  to  take  up  in  class  the  explanation  of 
every  example  or  the  correction  of  every  sentence,  but  the 


SPIRIT  OF  THE  RECITATION  163 

trained  eye  of  the  teacher  must  know  what  is  right  and 
what  is  wrong.  If  there  is  not  going  to  be  time  for  full 
discussion  of  everything  that  has  been  put  upon  the  board 
a  quick  noting  that  this  or  that  is  wrong,  indicating  the 
fact  by  a  forceful  mark  which  allows  no  mistaken  idea  con- 
cerning it,  will  correct  the  wrong  impression. 

Freedom  of  speech  and  thought  in  class  is  earnestly  to 
be  sought  after,  but  that  freedom,  while  seeming  unre- 
strained, should  never  slip  the  leash  of  the  teacher's  guiding 
mind.  She  must  know  where  the  discussion  is  going,  and 
how  far  it  may  be  allowed  to  wander  and  yet  be  rounded 
up  to  right  conclusions  before  the  class  is  dismissed. 

An  interesting  example  of  a  rounded  recitation  is  fur- 
nished by  a  wise  teacher  of  literature  who  used  the  dramatic 
element.  Each  year  he  read  aloud  to  his  class  Marlowe's 
"Faust."  He  knew  the  play  so  well  that  by  retarding  or 
accelerating  his  reading  he  could  keep  within  such  limits  as 
he  pleased.  He  never  failed  of  a  sensation  when  he  timed 
his  reading  so  that  the  bell  rang  just  at  the  instant  when,  in 
the  play,  the  clock  strikes  twelve  and  the  powers  of  darkness 
come  to  claim  the  soul  of  Faust. 

There  is  one  power  possessed  by  the  best  teachers  which 
is  almost  too  subtle  to  discuss  or  to  explain,  but  it  is  a 
large   factor  in   the   success   of   many   efficient 
instructors.     That  power  is  the  ability  to  make    Personal 

r  J  .       Bond 

every  pupil  in  the  class  feel  that  the  teacher  is 

conscious  of  him  every  minute,  not  in  a  watchful  way,  but 

with  an  understanding,  companionable  interest. 

In  general  company,  if  something  brilliant  is  said,  some- 
thing that  stirs  our  interest,  we  instinctively  glance  with 
sympathetic  appreciation  at  the  individual  there  whom  we 
know  best  or  from  whom  we  are  sure  of  a  comprehending 
responsive  look. 


164  THE  TEACHER 

Something  akin  to  this  has  its  place  in  the  class-room.  It 
is  possible  to  make  a  pupil  see  from  the  expression  upon 
your  face  that  you  understand  him,  although  he  may  be 
answering  your  question  in  a  stumbling  manner.  The 
sympathetic  teacher,  by  a  glance  of  the  eye,  a  lift  of  the 
hand,  sometimes  by  an  aside  that  reaches  only  the  ears  for 
which  it  was  intended,  can  keep  half  a  dozen  pupils  actively 
interested  in  the  recitation  while  the  voice  of  but  one  is 
audible. 

This,  too,  should  help  in  determining  the  mark  of  indi- 
viduals for  the  day.  The  true  appreciation  of  the  various 
members  of  the  class  will  make  each  one  feel  his  own  per- 
sonal relation  to  the  teacher.  There  are  possibilities  for 
countless  intellectual  secrets  and  quiet  understandings,  all 
of  which  add  to  the  power  of  the  teacher.  The  relation 
will  be  different  with  each  pupil,  but  the  bond  will  be  strong 
just  in  proportion  as  it  becomes  personal. 

In  the  presentation  of  the  subject-matter  to  a  class  and 
in  the  treatment  of  the  class,  the  personality  of  the  teacher 
speaks  powerfully. 

Above  everything  else  a  teacher  should  be  inspiring, 
should  possess  the  power  to  arouse  interest  in  the  class  and 
to  stir  every  individual  to  a  desire  for  knowledge.  Who- 
ever has  watched  schools  critically  will  readily  admit  the 
force  of  this  remark.  How  the  pupil  drags  his  unwilling 
steps  to  recitation  under  one  teacher!  How  he  goes  with 
eager  haste  to  the  class-room  of  another !  Strange  to  say, 
the  one  who  arouses  the  greatest  interest  is  not  alwavs  the 
one  of  highest  scholastic  attainments ;  it  is  the  one  with 
effective  personality. 


CHAPTER  XII 

SOME  TECHNICALITIES  OF  THE 

RECITATION 

Schools  are  differently  organized :  some  upon  the  class 
principle ;  others  upon  the  departmental.  Under  the  for- 
mer method,  a  certain  number  of  pupils  is  assigned 
to  each  teacher,  and  she  does  all  the  work  in 

.  ii-  o  ...  Organization 

all  subiects,  looking*  after  the  general  discipline  of  the 

J  '  to  &  *  School 

as  well. 

Under  the  departmental  system,  several  grades  are  assem- 
bled in  one  room,  in  charge  of  one  teacher,  while  the  class 
work  is  largely  or  entirely  done  in  recitation  rooms. 

There  is  much  to  be  said  in  favor  of  both  plans,  and  yet 
something  is  lost  through  each  one. 

Recitations  in  the  same  room  where  others  are  studying 
offer  more  or  less  distraction,  but  this  very  distraction  may 
be  educational. 

A  lazy  student,  with  no  accurate  foundation  in  language, 
was  once  being  tutored  in  Caesar.  His  recitations  were  ill- 
prepared,  and  he  used  all  the  ingenuity  that  such  a  young 
man  possesses  to  get  the  teacher  to  do  the  work  for  him. 
She  was  amazed,  however,  to  see  how  well  he  knew  the  story 
of  the  Gallic  wars.  He  was  familiar  with  every  phase  of 
the  campaign,  knew  the  geography  of  the  country,  and 
was  willing  to  talk  without  end  of  the  clever  generalship  of 
Caesar.  The  teacher  tested  him  thoroughly  on  his  knowl- 
edge, and  was  forced  to  admit  that  he  was  far  more  accurate 

165 


166  THE  TEACHER 

and  had  more  interest  than  the  pupils  in  her  own  classes. 
She  asked  him  how  it  all  came  about. 

He  had  been,  for  a  year  just  before  coming  to  her,  in 
one  of  the  best  schools  for  boys  in  the  east.  There  he  had 
sat  in  the  room  where  the  class  in  advance  of  him  recited 
Caesar.  They  evidently  had  an  inspiring  teacher,  because 
this  boy,  who  was  too  indolent  to  study  unless  driven  to  it, 
drank  in  eagerly  everything  that  was  said  in  class. 

Where  the  class  is  kept  to  itself  much  of  the  inspiration 
gained  by  listening  to  advanced  work  is  lost.  A  large  num- 
ber of  the  children  in  public  schools  come  from  homes 
which  furnish  no  intellectual  inspiration  and  where  the 
parents  have  no  idea  of  what  is  good  for  their  children,  or 
what  the  schools  have  to  offer.  The  pupils  are  compelled 
to  find  this  out  for  themselves.  If  their  vision  is  limited  by 
the  four  walls  of  their  own  grade,  where  will  they  gain  this 
inspiration? 

There  is  a  definite  educational  value  in  living  in  the 
atmosphere  of  things  a  little  beyond  present  attainments. 
The  effect  of  this  is  especially  noticeable  in  high  school 
work.  Seeing  upon  the  board  fragments  of  French,  Latin, 
or  German,  an  occasional  figure  in  geometry,  or  some  scien- 
tific diagram,  is  a  stimulus  to  intellectual  curiosity,  and, 
besides,  it  gives  the  young  person  the  habit  of  thinking 
that,  in  the  natural  course  of  events,  these  subjects  must  be 
taken  up.  Without  doubt  this  unconscious  influence  has 
helped  toward  keeping  many  a  young  person  longer  in 
school  because  of  these  vistas  opening  before  him. 

The  student-like  attitude  is  supposed  to  demand  quiet, 
and  much  stress  is  put  upon  this  where  the  organization 
supplies  a  room  especially  for  study. 

No  doubt  there  is  something  in  this,  but  not  all  that  is 
claimed  for  it.     The  well-trained  mind  can  study  anywhere. 


SOME  TECHNICALITIES  167 

Power  of  concentration  sets  up  barriers  against  all  kinds 
of  external  disturbances.  Possibly  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
school  to  give  training  in  this  power  of  concentration, 
rather  than  to  render  it  unnecessary. 

No  matter  how  carefully  any  given  system  may  be 
planned  or  worked  out,  conditions  will  never  be  ideal. 
Whatever  the  organization  of  the  school,  it  will  never  be 
entirely  satisfactory,  and  so  it  becomes  the  business  of 
the  teacher  to  accept  it  such  as  it  is  and  then  proceed 
to  get  results  in  spite  of  conditions  that  she  might  wish  to 
change.  The  good  teacher  will  succeed  no  matter  what 
the  environment,  and  failure  should  be  charged  up,  not 
to  externals,  but  to  lack  of  power  on  the  part  of  the 
teacher  herself. 

If  this  principle  could  be  burned  into  the  understanding 
of  every  individual  who  enters  the  profession,  and  the 
energy  that  is  lost  upon  futile  fault-finding  be  conserved 
to  good  work,  there  would  be  fewer  incompetents  besieging 
teachers'  agencies  for  positions.  It  is  comparatively  easy 
to  succeed  when  conditions  are  right ;  to  succeed  when  they 
are  not  to  the  liking,  proclaims  the  master.  Instead  of 
causing  discouragement  and  irritation,  difficulties  should 
put  the  individual  upon  his  mettle  to  drive  them  into  satis- 
factory7 conclusions. 

No  matter  what  the  organization  of  the  school  in  the 
particulars  suggested,  the  principles  governing  the  recita- 
tion should  be  the  same. 

Coming  to  the  recitation  itself,  certain  technicalities,  cer- 
tain formalities,  demand  attention. 

The  size  of  the  class  is  usually  determined  by  someone 
besides  the  teacher  who  hears  the  recitation.  That,  how- 
ever, does  not  shift  the  responsibility  entirely.  If  the  class 
is  too  large  for  efficient  work,  the  state  of  things  should  be 


168  THE  TEACHER 

* 

reported  to  the  responsible  person  at  once.     If  that  is  done, 
there  may  be,  on  the  part  of  the  one  having  a  full  view  of 
the  situation,  some  way  of  adjusting  the  num- 
ciass°f  bers.      If   that   is   out   of   the   question,    then 

the  teacher  must  wrestle  with  the  difficulty. 
Try  first,  through  legitimate  channels,  to  better  the  con- 
ditions ;  failing  there,  do  the  best  that  can  be  done  under 
the  unfavorable  conditions  to  get  good  results. 

Punctuality  demands  constant  vigilance.     Left  to  itself, 

a  class  may  easily  form  the  habit  of  dragging  leisurely  into 

class-room  or  to  recitation  seats,  take  its  time 

Punctuality      *n  getting  seated,  and  bring  its  attention  to  the 

business  in  hand  only  when  compelled  to. 

The  teacher  will  get  nothing  more  than  she  demands, 
and  in  the  matter  of  punctuality  too  much  patience  is  a 
mistake.  It  should  be  understood  from  the  first  day  that 
the  recitation  begins  promptly  at  the  appointed  time,  and 
that  the  class  is  expected  not  only  to  be  in  place  but  to 
be  ready  for  work  on  the  instant. 

It  is  equally  important  that  the  teacher  establish  the 
same  standards  for  herself,  being  always  ready  to  receive 
the  class  at  the  appointed  time  and  to  begin  the  work  on 
the  instant.  No  time  should  be  wasted  in  taking  the  roll. 
Each  member  should  have  his  seat  so  that  a  glance  will 
determine  the  absentees. 

The  individual  recitation  of  boy  or  girl  becomes  a  more 
or  less  formal  affair  and  should  be  treated  as  such. 

Pupils    should   be    trained    to    stand    firmly 
Position  upon  both  feet  in  good  position,  to  stand  free 

from  desk  or  seat,  leaning  upon  nothing  and 
depending  upon  nothing  for  support  but  the  poise  of  their 
own  muscles.  This  may  seem  a  trifle,  but,  like  other  trifles, 
becomes  an  important  part  of  a  desirable  whole. 


SOME  TECHNICALITIES  169 

The  same  care  should  be  taken  in  the  way  a  child  sits 
in  recitation.  This  will  largely  right  itself  if  the  recita- 
tion is  thoroughly  inspiring.  The  child  who  is  interested 
will  never  be  found  slipped  low  in  his  seat  or  leaning  upon 
his  neighbor.  Toss  some  unusually  interesting  thought 
unexpectedly  upon  a  class  and  the  first  intimation  that  it 
has  struck  home  will  be  in  a  general  straightening  of  backs, 
a  spontaneous  leaning  toward  the  center  of  interest,  the 
increased  muscular  tension  that  goes  with  alertness. 

This  works  both  ways.  A  good  position,  the  natural 
position  of  attention,  is  not  without  its  effect  in  securing 
that  attention.  It  will  not  do  all,  but  it  will  help,  and 
should  therefore  be  insisted  upon.  Besides,  this  is  not 
merely  a  matter  of  school  discipline,  but  a  matter  of  health 
and  good  form  as  well.  A  proper  sitting  position  and  a 
good  carriage  are  important  parts  of  good  breeding. 

It  may  be  superfluous  to  say  anything  about  the  method 
of  calling  upon  pupils  to  recite.     This  would  certainly  be 
true  if  so  much  wooden  work  were  not  con- 
stantly in  evidence.     It  ought  not  to  be  nee-   SpcmPupiis 
essary  to  warn  teachers  against  the  stupidity 
of   calling   upon    pupils    in    any    particular    order,    either 
alphabetically  or  according  to  seating,  but  there  are  teachers 
still  in  the  ranks  so  short-sighted  as  to  follow  this  habit. 

To  avoid  this,  others  use  cards,  each  bearing  the  name 
of  a  pupil.  While  this  may  be  an  improvement  upon  the 
former  method,  it  is  a  stupid  way,  takes  too  much  time, 
and  invariably  diverts  the  attention  of  the  teacher. 

The  teacher  must  constantly  be  in  control  of  the  situa- 
tion and  so  bound  by  no  hard  and  fast  system.  Sometimes 
the  development  of  the  recitation  demands  that  one  pupil 
be  brought  repeatedly  to  his  feet ;  again,  questions  follow- 
ing in  rapid  succession  should  be  so  distributed  that  mem- 


170  THE  TEACHER 

bers  of  the  class  can  never  guess  who  will  be  next  up;  in 
fact,  whatever  is  necessary  on  any  given  day  to  keep  the 
class  alert  and  fully  up  to  the  mark,  must  be  the  method 
used,  and  that  method  should  vary  from  day  to  day. 

A  clear,  distinct  articulation  is  a  part  of  the  training 

due  a  child.     He  should  never  be  allowed  to  slur  his  words, 

to  glide  over  important  sounds,  or  to  mumble 

Articulation      in  an  indistinct,  slovenly  manner.     Equally  to 

be  avoided  are  the  blatant,  strident  tones  that 

belong  so  markedly  to  the  uncultivated. 

Tone,  quality,  and  pitch  of  voice  are  a  legitimate  part 
of  education,  and  it  makes  no  difference  whether  the  sub- 
ject-matter is  smooth,  melodious  French,  clear-cut  science, 
definite  mathematics,  or  the  gliding  periods  of  literature, 
the  demand  in  recitation  for  distinct  articulation  in  a  well- 
modulated  voice  is  an  intrinsic  part  of  right  training. 

Good  English  is  another  requisite.     The  tendency  of  all 

young  people  is  to  speak  laconically,  using  only  such  words 

as    are    really    necessary    to    convey    a    slight 

ingHsh  inkling    of  the   idea   floating   vaguely   in   the 

head. 

"I  know  it,  but  I  can't  say  it,"  is  a  frequent  remark 
heard  in  the  class-room.  The  stock  answer  to  this  remark 
is.  "If  you  really  knew,  you  could  tell  it." 

That  is  not  true  in  the  sense  in  which  the  average  teacher 
means  it.  It  is  possible  that  the  knowledge  may  not  be 
very  clear  in  the  mind,  may  not  be  comprehensive,  yet  the 
answer,  to  the  mind  of  the  child,  is  essentially  correct.  He 
does  know  to  his  own  satisfaction,  but  is  not  yet  trained  to 
rapidly  transfer  ideas  to  spoken  language.  A  part  of  the 
duty  of  the  recitation  is  to  give  him  this  training. 

In  studying  his  lesson  the  pupil  should  be  taught  to  keep 
constantly  in  mind  the  fact  that  he  will  be  expected  in  class 


SOME  TECHNICALITIES  171 

to  give  a  clear,  concise  discussion  of  what  is  before  him  on 
the  printed  page  or  what  was  brought  out  in  class  on  some 
previous  day.  It  is  not  enough  to  gain  a  mental  concept 
just  while  the  idea  is  before  him  in  the  book.  That  may 
seem  very  vivid  at  the  time,  but  it  has  a  strange  trick  of 
becoming  vague  and  clouded  by  a  thousand  doubts  as  soon 
as  the  presence  of  the  teacher  is  substituted  for  the  pres-, 
ence  of  the  book. 

The  young  teacher  will  not  readily  grasp  this  condition. 
She  will  know  that  on  the  presentation  of  a  particular  topic 
to  the  class,  on  the  explanation  of  some  obscure  point,  the 
class  understood  it.  That  comprehension  may  have  been 
perfectly  clear  at  the  time,  for  it  is  comparatively  easy  to 
follow  the  leading  strings  of  another  mind.  After  an 
exceptionally  lucid  explanation,  which  the  class  seems  to 
grasp  with  interest,  the  teacher  would  be  greatly  surprised 
if  she  should  ask  the  very  brightest  pupil  in  the  class  to 
reproduce  at  once  what  has  just  been  so  clearly  presented. 
In  most  cases  the  result  would  be  halting  and  unsatisfac- 
tory. There  will  be  evidence  that  the  mind  has  followed 
faithfully  the  explanation,  but  much  of  the  detail  will  have 
vanished  from  memory.  How  much  more  will  this  be  true 
when  the  activities  of  twenty-four  hours  have  intervened 
before  the  topic  is  again  brought  up  for  discussion? 

Absorbing  interest  centers  around  the  final  marks  which 
are  the  visible  estimate  of  the  pupil's  standing.     Close  com- 
parison  of   each  child's   marks   with   those   of 
his  associates  is  constantly  going  on ;    there  is   Marking 
an  equally  insistent  comparison  of  a  teacher's 
judgment  of  a  recitation  with  that  of  the  one  making  it; 
there  is  also  the  unfailing  desire  for  high  marks  which  some- 
times exists  independently  of  merit.     In  view  of  all  this, 
although  the  mark  won  is  not  the  most  important  purpose 


172  THE  TEACHER 

of  a  recitation,  it  becomes  imperative  that  all  markings  be 
as  nearly  just  as  possible. 

Man}^  elements  enter  into  the  final  estimate  for  each  day. 
There  may  have  been  written  work  to  hand  in.  This  is  to 
be  considered  not  only  with  reference  to  its  own  complete- 
ness and  correctness  but  for  its  importance  in  relation  to 
the  rest  of  the  assignment. 

Then  comes  the  class  record.  To  give  a  pupil  a  per- 
fect mark  just  because  he  happens  to  recite  well  upon  one 
question  which  fell  to  his  lot  early  in  the  hour  is  not  a 
measure  of  the  full  period  for  him.  His  attention  during 
the  remainder  of  the  time  should  be  taken  into  account,  his 
ability  to  go  on  with  the  recitation  at  any  point,  the  expres- 
sion of  his  face,  indicating  alertness  or  the  contrary,  should 
all  be  considered. 

Here,  too,  unthinking,  parrot-like  repetition  has  to  be 
guarded  against.  A  child  may  give  a  slow,  stumbling 
answer — slow  because  he  is  carefully  and  thoughtfully  pick- 
ing his  way  through  a  new  mystery — and  yet  make  a 
better  recitation  than  the  one  to  whom  the  correct  verbal 
answer  comes  "trippingly  on  the  tongue,"  with  no  thought 
back  of  it.  The  better  mark  belongs  to  the  former,  for  he 
has  gone  forward  a  little  way  with  added  strength,  with 
increased  power. 

The  mark  of  each  pupil  for  the  day  should  represent  not 
only  the  particular  showing  which  he  made  in  formal  reci- 
tation, but  should  take  into  account  his  entire  attitude  for 
the  full  time  of  the  recitation  period;  should  take  into 
consideration,  so  far  as  possible  to  obtain  the  information, 
the  faithfulness  of  his  preparation,  and,  above  all  else, 
should  be  a  measure  of  the  power  which  he  has  gained. 

The  sensitive  teacher  will  have  a  picture  of  all  this  in  her 
mind   for   each    individual   at   the   close    of   the   recitation. 


SOME  TECHNICALITIES  173 

This  may  seem  to  demand  something  like  the  power  of 
second  sight,  but  good  teachers  have  to  be  thus  endowed. 
The  poor  ones  see  only  what  lies  near  the  surface. 

This  comprehensive  judgment  precludes  any  marking  in 
a  class  book  during  a  recitation  period.  Quick  notes  may 
be  taken,  but  nothing  more.  But  even  if  this  reason  did 
not  exist,  there  is  another  important  one  for  not  marking  at 
once.  Nothing  should  be  allowed  for  an  instant  to  detract 
from  the  main  business.  Eye,  hand,  and  thought  of  the 
teacher  cannot  be  diverted  from  the  recitation  without  loss 
of  both  time  and  interest. 

The  time  for  assigning  the  next  day's  lesson  will  vary 
with  circumstances.    Some  teachers  have  the  invariable  habit 
of  giving  out  the  next  lesson  at  the  opening 
of  the  recitation,  with  the  idea  of  not  allowing   Assigning 
a  clear  assignment  to  be   crowded  out  at  the 
close.     This  immediately  puts  a  hard  and  fast  rule  upon 
everybody.     Perhaps  the  amount  allotted  for  this  particu- 
lar day  has  not  been  wisely  apportioned,  and  the  close  of 
the  period  may  leave  much  that  is  vital  still  undiscussed. 
With  every  possible  forethought,  unexpected  difficulties  will 
arise  and  must  be  dealt  with. 

Too  little  work  may  have  been  apportioned  and  the  les- 
son of  the  day  easily  covered  before  the  time  is  up.  The 
remaining  time  should  not  be  wasted,  but  the  class  pushed 
on  to  the  pages  that  are  still  unturned.  Not  a  moment 
should  be  thrown  away  in  allowing  the  class  to  mark  time, 
or  in  just  waiting  for  the  bell. 

All  these  things  demand  that  the  class  work  be  left 
entirely  adjustable.  No  one  can  tell,  until  the  recitation  is 
nearly  over,  what  kind  of  assignment  will  be  wisest.  It  may 
be  necessary  to  require  a  repetition  of  the  very  lesson  of 
the  day ;   a  class  may  do  better  or  worse  than  was  expected, 


174  THE  TEACHER 

and  tomorrow's  work  should  depend  upon  the  results  ob- 
tained today. 

The  close  of  the  period,  then,  becomes  the  natural  time 
for  giving  out  the  following  lesson,  and  that  should  be 
done  in  the  light  of  what  the  hour  just  past  has  brought 
forth. 

In  the  preparation  of  the  next  lesson  assigned,  it  is  the 
teacher's  duty  to  avoid  all  unnecessary  waste  and  its  attend- 
ant discouragement. 
Nayinworkt  Presumably  the  teacher  comes   to  the   class 

each  day  prepared  not  only  upon  the  lesson 
of  the  day,  but  with  a  clear  knowledge  of  what  is  to  follow, 
and  a  mental  picture  of  the  difficulties  which  the  new  work 
presents.  Some  of  these  the  class  should  be  able  to  master 
alone.  All  such  are  better  left  to  them,  for  it  is  never  good 
teaching  to  do  for  a  young  person  anything  which  he  can 
do  for  himself. 

If  preceding  study  has  already  pointed  out  the  way  to 
new  achievement,  then  the  class  can  be  left  to  its  own 
devices.  If  it  has  not,  then  it  devolves  upon  the  teacher 
to  open  the  way  for  effective  study  upon  the  next  day's 
lesson.  He  should  not  clear  up  every  bit  of  underbrush 
and  lay  an  asphalt  pavement  for  the  indolent,  but  he  must 
point  out  the  sure,  direct  way  and  so  mark  the  path  that 
it  cannot  be  mistaken.  The  pupil  should  not  be  left  to 
wander  through  an  unbroken  forest  of  difficulties. 

Once  in  a  senior  algebra  class  a  boy  said  that  he  had 
spent  his  entire  evening  study  time  upon  the  set  of  exam- 
ples for  the  next  day.  Forty-five  minutes  should  have  been 
ample.  Deducting  that  amount,  he  had  toiled  an  hour  and 
a  quarter  without  results.  Investigation  proved  that 
the  teacher,  only,  was  to  blame. 

The  boy's  difficulty  was  the  result  of  one  mistake,  a  mis 


SOME  TECHNICALITIES  175 

take  perfectly  natural  for  anyone  to  make  at  his  stage  of 
development.  His  teacher  should  have  foreseen  this,  and 
in  two  or  three  minutes'  lucid  discussion  in  class,  have 
eliminated  that  possibility.  As  a  good  guide,  she  should 
have  put  up  a  sign  post  at  the  parting  of  the  ways  to  turn 
him  in  the  right  direction.  He  would  have  been  saved 
two  hours'  blind  groping,  getting  him  nowhere  after  all. 
Instead,  an  hour's  clear  study  would  have  brought  satis- 
factory results  and  increased  his  own  mental  self-respect. 
Algebraically,  he  would  have  been  better  off,  and  would 
have  been  saved  much  needless  nervous  strain. 

The  recitation  showed  that  others  had  ended  in  the  same 
pitfall,  so  that  day  the  teacher  was  compelled  to  do  what 
she  ought  to  have  been  wise  enough  to  do  the  day  before. 
By  her  failure  to  lead  the  way  at  the  proper  time,  the  entire 
class  suffered  delay  of  twenty-four  hours.  By  poor  teaching 
she  had  cheated  them  all. 

It  is  common  to  charge  all  faults  in  teaching  to  young, 
inexperienced  teachers,  but  in  this  particular  those  long  in 
the  work  are  equally  apt  to  fail.  The  subject-matter 
becomes  so  familiar  that  it  is  sometimes  difficult  to  realize 
that  anyone  can  find  trouble  with  what  is  to  them  so  simple. 
The  young  teacher  is  nearer  her  own  student  days,  finds  it 
necessary  to  make  a  more  minute  preparation  for  a  day's 
work,  and  not  infrequently  encounters  troubles  of  her  own. 
With  these  fresh  in  mind,  she  is  more  inclined  to  be  watch- 
ful for  the  pitfalls  likely  to  ensnare  the  class,  for  they  are 
probably  the  very  ones  into  which  she  has  fallen. 

The  mass  of  papers  crying  for  correction  is  a  killing 
thing  in  this  business.      A  man  noted  for  his 
success  in  a  normal  school  once  said  that  the    p°preercsting 
really  good  teacher  would  never  allow  this  to 
become  a  burden.     According  to  him,  there  were  ways  of 


176  THE  TEACHER 

accomplishing  right  results  without  suicide  by  way  of  blue 
pencil  or  red  ink  pen. 

There  is  some  truth  in  this,  but  a  certain  amount  of  real 
drudgery  in  this  direction  is  inevitable. 

There  are  two  or  three  different  results  to  be  gained 
from  written  work  prepared  outside  of  class.  These  differ- 
ent objects  ought  to  be  kept  clearly  in  mind  in  the  demands 
made. 

In  language  work,  in  mathematics,  and  other  things  that 
require  the  application  of  accurate  principles,  the  amount 
assigned  should  be  very  definite.  It  then  becomes  the 
teacher's  business  to  look  these  papers  over  very  carefully, 
marking  all  mistakes. 

Again,  this  work  on  the  part  of  the  instructor  becomes 
utterly  void  of  value  unless  the  pupils  make  afterwards 
an  equally  critical  study  of  their  mistakes  and  then  cor- 
rect them.  If,  after  long,  laborious  correcting  of  papers,  the 
pupil  simply  looks  at  his  mark  and,  ignoring  the  mistakes, 
tosses  the  paper  into  the  waste  basket,  the  teacher  might 
far  better  have  saved  her  strength.  Her  work  has  been 
thrown  away  with  the  paper,  and  an  opportunity  of  teach- 
ing value  lost. 

Occasionally  it  is  well  to  let  the  pupils  exchange  papers 
and  correct  each  other's,  under  direction.  This,  however, 
is  an  expedient  that  should  not  often  be  resorted  to,  for  by 
repetition  it  loses  its  effect. 

Sometimes  nothing  better  can  be  done  than  to  have  each 
pupil  keep  his  own  paper  and,  putting  himself  in  a  critical 
attitude,  make  his  own  corrections,  still  under  the  direction 
of  the  teacher.  The  teaching  value  of  this  exercise  can  be 
made  very  great  if  the  right  relation  of  confidence  exists. 
The  class  must  be  in  sympathy  with  the  teacher  and  really 
eager  to  make  progress. 


SOME  TECHNICALITIES  177 

There  are  times  when  it  is  wise  to  give  a  written  task  to 
be  done  out  of  class,  of  such  a  nature  that  the  papers  do  not 
need  critical  examination.  When  this  is  true,  collect  the 
papers  and  then  tell  the  pupils  frankly  that  the  work  was 
assigned  for  the  sake  of  giving  them  a  certain  amount  of 
practice  in  a  particular  direction ;  that  it  is  not  your  plan 
to  mark  the  papers  carefully,  but  to  give  them  a  general 
review ;  that,  if  they  wish  to  see  the  papers  again,  and 
there  are  a  few  who  always  do,  you  will  save  such  as  are 
requested,  but  that  you  will  destroy  the  others  as  soon  as 
you  are  through  with  them. 

There  are  teachers  who  repeatedly  ask  for  papers  and 
then  throw  them  into  the  waste  basket,  unread.  Others 
mark  carelessly  and  then  return  the  papers.  One  case  is 
authentic  where  a  pupil,  knowing  this  habit  of  carelessness, 
ventured  to  hand  in  a  blank  paper,  conventionally  folded 
and  properly  endorsed.  The  next  day  he  got  it  back, 
marked  a  hundred. 

Above  everything  else,  be  absolutely  honest  with  the  class 
in  this  particular.  Let  them  understand  that  when  you 
ask  for  written  work  under  certain  conditions,  you  expect 
to  go  over  that  work  critically  and  shall  demand  from  them 
later  a  correction  of  all  their  mistakes.  When  the  condi- 
tions are  different,  or  the  purpose  different,  take  them  into 
your  confidence ;  they  will  not  abuse  it. 

Some  teachers  are  note-book  mad.     They  require  pupils 
to  have  and  to  keep  note-books  in  every  possible  subject. 
Like   many    things,    this    may    be    valuable    in 
certain  places  and  very  objectionable  in  others.    Note  Book 

There   is   great   danger  in   allowing  young 
people  to  form  the  habit   of  keeping  too  much  in  visible 
form  and  so  not  depending  upon  their  mental  resources. 
Increased  power,  the  final  purpose  of  education,  is  thus  lost. 


178  THE  TEACHER 

Pupils  are  sometimes  allowed  and  requested  to  keep  exam- 
ple books  into  which  all  the  examples  of  each  day  are 
copied.  This  is  certainly  worse  than  time  wasted.  The 
purpose  of  solving  examples  is  not  to  get  a  solution  in 
fascinating  form  in  a  neatly  kept  note-book,  but  to  gain 
power,  not  merely  to  solve  this  example  or  set  of  examples, 
but  power  to  go  at  something  more  difficult  and  to  do  the 
new  thing  more  easily. 

Besides  the  bad  effects  in  the  matter  of  good  teaching, 
these  methods  often  become  time  wasters.  It  is  so  much 
easier  to  use  the  fingers  than  to  use  the  brain.  Much  time 
can  be  thus  wasted  that  should  go  into  vigorous  study. 

In  this  matter  the  teacher  should  not  lose  sight  of  the 
value  of  strengthening  the  impression  in  any  particular 
direction,  by  going  over  it  even  by  copying,  but  it  is  easy 
to  overestimate  this  effectiveness  when  applied  to  note- 
books. 

If  the  children  have  a  series  of  example-books  to  refer 
to  in  review,  they  lamely  lean  upon  them  and  lose  all  the 
training  they  might  get,  to  say  nothing  of  the  wrongful 
use  of  these  examples  by  pupils  who  never  get  quite  strong 
enough  to  do  entirely  honest  work.  Think  carefully  before 
you  allow  anything  in  the  way  of  needless  note-books  to 
find  their  place  in  the  school-room. 

The  subject  of  the  technique  of  the  recitation  should 
not    be    left    without    a    few    words    especially    for    high 

school  teachers. 
Methods  There  is  one  error  into  which  the  inexperi- 

enced are  apt  to  fall.  This  danger  is  increas- 
ing as  more  and  more  high  schools  are  demanding  college 
graduates  for  all  positions.  These  teachers  come  into  the 
schools  fresh  from  their  own  college  work,  with  the  instruc- 
tion  of   some   favorite   professor  standing   out   clearly   in 


SOME  TECHNICALITIES  179 

mind.  They  may  bring  certificates  of  full  courses  in 
pedagogy,  but  they  do  not  bring  experience. 

Such  a  teacher's  greatest  danger  is  in  forgetting  his 
environment.  The  first  thing  that  he  should  fix  clearly  in 
his  mind  is  that  a  college  and  a  secondary  school  are  two 
different  places.  The  method  which  his  favorite  professor 
used  with  such  success  upon  him  and  his  associates  has  no 
place  in  the  work  before  him.  His  professor  dealt  with  the 
trained  intellect ;  he  is  to  meet  the  young,  eager  but  rela- 
tively untrained  mind.  The  purpose  of  a  secondary  school 
is  not  to  furnish  college  instruction.  The  greatest  fault 
of  these  inexperienced  college  graduates  is  their  attempt 
to  transfer  to  the  high  schools  college  methods  in  teaching. 

There  comes  to  mind  the  picture  of  a  certain  class  in 
English  History.  The  teacher  was  an  unusually  bright, 
attractive  young  man,  but  he  had  yet  to  learn  that  he  was 
in  a  high  school  and  not  in  college.  He  adopted  the  lecture 
method,  and  as  he  talked,  the  class  were  all  busy  trying  to 
keep  up  with  him  with  fountain  pen  or  pencil.  Their  study 
time  was  spent  in  getting  these  notes  into  shape.  At  inter- 
vals the  note-books  were  handed  in  and  the  teacher  approved 
or  disapproved  according  to  appearance.  Nobody  ever 
suspected  him  of  reading  them  carefully  enough  to  have 
any  idea  of  their  contents.  The  class  was  orderly  and 
attentive,  and  he  was  satisfied  with  what  was  being  done. 
When  the  first  examination  came,  what  a  fall  was  there ! 
He  could  not  understand  what  was  wrong  until  a  teacher 
of  experience  pointed  out  the  fact  that  he  was  working  in 
a  secondary  school. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
EXAMINATIONS 

There  has  been  endless  discussion  over  the  question  of 
examinations  and  a  decided  difference  of  opinion  touching 
their  place  in  a  school  system. 

Some  administrations  hold  tenaciously  to  them,  examin- 
ing rigidly  and  often.  Experience  has  led  others  to  abolish 
them  entirely,  arguing  that  the  nervous  strain  is  too  great 
upon  the  child,  and  insisting  that  the  examination  is  not, 
after  all,  an  honest  measure  of  the  child's  attainment. 

On  the  other  hand  it  is  claimed  that  examinations  are  a 
valuable  school  exercise ;  that  they  are  a  means  of  classify- 
ing and  keeping  within  call  any  knowledge  that  has  been 
presented  during  a  limited  period  either  of  weeks  or  months ; 
that  the  ability  to  retain  and  express  clearly  the  salient 
points  in  a  given  subject  should  constitute  a  part  of  a 
child's  training. 

Besides  this,  the  demands  of  many  of  the  best  colleges 
for  entrance  examinations  make  necessary  some  sort  of  prep- 
aration for  taking  them.  This  affects  all  secondary  schools, 
of  course,  but  has  a  stronger  bearing  upon  private  schools, 
where  the  majority  of  the  students  expect  to  go  to  colleges 
requiring  such  examinations. 

What  the  policy  of  the  school  shall  be  in  this  direction, 
of  course,  an  individual  teacher  does  not  have  to  determine, 
but  each  teacher  should  study  the  question  carefully,  watch- 
ing the  system  used  in  the  school,  giving  honest  testimony 

180 


EXAMINATIONS  181 

to  the  evils  of  the  method  as  well  as  to  its  advantages,  and 
gathering  data  for  an  opinion.  The  practice  of  a  school 
is  finally  settled  by  this  same  careful  study  on  the  part  of 
all  its  teachers,  resulting  eventually  in  a  well-defined  fac- 
ulty opinion,  usually  the  final  court  of  appeal. 

Many   schools   have   the   habit,   beginning   in   the   lower 
grades,  of  excusing  from  examinations  all  whose  standings 
during  the  term  or  quarter  or  semester,  as  the   Excusing 
division  may  be,  have  reached  a  certain  average.    Examina- 
This  has  its  effect  in  spurring  many  pupils  on  tl0ns 
to  strong  effort  to  maintain  such  a  standard.     The  ambition 
to  gain  such  distinction  has  a  powerful  influence  upon  cer- 
tain temperaments,  and  there  will  be  in  almost  every  class 
one  or  two  who  rarely,  if  ever,  have  to  submit  to  the  ordeal. 
To  escape  this  they  must  do  from  day  to  day  rather  more 
than  excellent  work.     They  are  the  pupils  who  shine  always 
and  among  their  fellows  are  familiarly  called  "sharks." 

A  young  girl  had  for  years  attained  this  distinction  in 
her  class,  had  gone  through  all  the  grades  without  having 
to  take  examination.  For  some  reason,  the  first  year  that 
she  was  in  the  high  school,  it  was  decreed  that  everyone 
must  take  examinations  at  the  end  of  the  first  semester. 
This  girl  went  into  them  with  perfect  confidence  in  her 
ability  to  pass  far  up  among  the  best,  if  not  at  the  very 
head  of  the  class.  Her  teachers  felt  the  same  confidence. 
When  the  reports  were  made  out,  while  she  won  a  passing 
mark,  her  standing  was  among  the  lowest  of  those  who 
passed  at  all. 

She  did  not  need  to  see  her  marks  to  realize  that  she  had 
come  close  to  the  failing  point.  She  was  a  good  judge  of 
her  own  achievements,  and  knew  at  the  close  of  the  exami- 
nation that  she  had  not  acquitted  herself  with  credit. 

The  teachers  were  greatly  surprised  at  the  outcome,  but 


182  THE  TEACHER 

both  they  and  the  girl  learned  a  good  lesson.  When  the 
returns  were  all  in,  she  went  to  the  woman  in  charge  of  the 
grade,  with  an  unusual  request. 

"I  want  to  ask,"  she  began,  "that  as  long  as  I  am  in  this 
school,  no  matter  what  my  class  standing  is,  I  shall  never 
be  excused  from  a  single  examination  that  the  others  take. 
I  thought  I  was  doing  good  work,  but  something  must  be 
wrong  when  I  write  such  examination  papers  as  I  did  this 
time  in  all  subjects.  I  found  that  I  almost  knew  a  lot  of 
things,  but  didn't  know  them  well  enough  to  write  clearly 
about  them." 

It  is  one  thing  to  make  good  daily  showing,  to  recite  upon 
a  limited  portion  of  a  subject,  even  to  do  fairly  well  in 
oral  recitation  upon  unexpected  review,  but  to  have  knowl- 
edge so  classified,  so  related,  that  it  can  be  put  into  good 
English  within  a  limited  time  is  another  matter. 

Like  everything  else,  a  compromise  between  the  two  ex- 
tremes of  examining  everybody  and  examining  nobody  ought 

to  give  the  desirable  middle  course. 
churse'dd'e  This  problem  has  been  carefully  studied  and 

experimented  upon  in  a  certain  school  which 
deals  with  all  grades,  from  the  kindergarten  to  the  college. 
The  school  was  for  years  under  the  management  of  the 
same  principal  and  most  of  the  teachers  had  been  long  in 
their  positions.  This  gave  excellent  opportunity  for  ex- 
periment, especially  as  the  school  population  was  not  a 
floating  one;  many  took  their  entire  preparatory  course  in 
that  school. 

The  administration  was  such  that  if  one  plan  did  not 
give  desirable  results,  it  was  at  once  changed  for  some  other 
which  the  teachers  thought  might  be  better.  After  testing 
several  plans  that  proved  unsatisfactory,  one  was  evolved 
which  seemed  to  meet  favorably  all  conditions.  It  has  been 
used  for  some  time  without  demand  for  modification. 


EXAMINATIONS  183 

The  school  year,  in  this  case,  of  thirty-six  weeks,  is 
divided  into  four  quarters,  with  examinations  at  the  close 
of  each  quarter.  At  the  first  quarterly  examination  in  each 
semester,  every  pupil  in  the  school,  regardless  of  rank  or 
condition,  is  examined  in  every  study.  This  gives  exami- 
nations to  everybody  at  the  first  and  third  quarters. 

The  effect  upon  both  school  and  teachers  is  excellent. 
Each  finds  his  own  failings  and  takes  the  measure  of  the 
work  done. 

At  the  second  and  fourth  quarters,  all  who  passed  the 
former  examination  and  have  maintained  a  high  class  stand- 
ing through  the  second  and  fourth  quarters  are  excused 
from  these  examinations. 

According  to  this  method,  the  good  effect  of  excusing 
is  gained  and  perhaps  offered  as  often  as  is  desirable,  while 
no  one  loses  entirely  the  educational  value  of  examinations. 

Examinations  are  not  to  be  taken  lightly  by  either  teacher 
or  pupil.  Both  need  to  make  careful  preparation  for  them, 
but  if  especial  care  is  given  bv  either  one,  it   _ 

r  o  General 

should  be  by  the  teacher.  character 

J  of  Questions 

The  mistake  is  often  made  of  expecting  too 
much  of  the  children  in  a  given  time.  If  the  individual 
teacher  makes  out  her  own  questions,  she  should  give  them 
very  careful  study.  In  some  schools  they  are  either  fur- 
nished by  the  principal  or  else  come  from  some  central 
office.  In  such  case  the  work  of  the  teacher  is  somewhat 
different.  She  has  no  responsibility^  in  the  preparation  of 
the  questions,  but  she  has  then  to  watch  her  own  teaching 
very  carefully.  Presumably  these  questions  will  be  fair, 
general  ones,  presupposing  a  clear  knowledge  on  the  part 
of  the  children  of  the  ground  covered. 

When  a  teacher  prepares  her  own  questions,  a  careful 
mental  review  of  the  work  covered  is  her  first  step.     The 


184  THE  TEACHER 

important  things  should  stand  out  clearly  in  her  own  mind 
and  the  subject  should  be  well  classified.  Some  people  take 
this  attitude  unconsciously,  having  what  might  be  termed 
a  scientific  mind,  one  which  grasps  salient  points  readily. 
A  good  set  of  questions  should  reveal  a  good  sense  of  values, 
that  sense  which  brings  into  prominence  the  vital  points  of 
the  subject  and  does  not  bury  them  under  a  mass  of  unim- 
portant allied  matter. 

The  purpose  of  an  examination  is  neither  to  trip  the  child 
over  some  unexpected  obstacle,  nor  to  bring  him  up  before 
an  obscure,  unimportant  fact  that  may  have  been  casually 
mentioned  in  the  course  of  some  recitation,  but  which,  like 
a  parenthetical  sentence,  might  be  omitted  without  affecting 
the  main  point  under  discussion.  If  the  teaching  has  been 
well  done,  of  course,  many  of  these  details  will  cling  in 
the  mind,  but  many  more  will  have  passed  into  forgetful- 
ness. 

Having  settled  upon  the  points  to  be  brought   out   in 

any  particular  examination,  the  questions  should  be  stated 

clearly,  but  without  any  suggestion  as  to  what 

Quest ions'6       the  answer  should  be.     The  clear  statement  of 

a  question  is  just  as  much  a  test  of  the  teacher 

as  a  correct  answer  is  a  test  of  the  pupil. 

Every  question  should  be  so  put  that  the  pupils  who  have 
made  reasonable  preparation  for  the  work  will  know  what 
it  means,  although  they  may  not  always  be  able  to  answer 
it  fully  or  lucidly.  That  is  their  affair ;  the  clear  statement 
of  the  question  is  the  teacher's. 

A  certain  professor  in  one  of  our  great  universities  once 
approached  an  assistant  in  high  glee. 

"I  have  just  thought  out  a  way,"  he  exclaimed,  "in  which 
you  can  ask  that  question  so  that  I  don't  believe  a  single 
student  in  the  class  can  answer  it." 


EXAMINATIONS  185 

Such  an  attitude  is  to  be  shunned.  The  purpose  of  an 
examination  is  not  to  floor  the  pupils,  but  to  bring  into 
clear  form  some  measure  of  their  work  as  well  as  that  of  the 
teacher. 

After  the  questions  have  been  prepared,  careful  estimate 
of  the  time  required  to  answer  them  should  be  made.  Older 
teachers  in  particular  should  watch  this,   for 

,  .  .  Judging 

thev  are  apt  to   be  sinners  in   the   matter   of   Length  of 

.  ".  ■•  .  ~  Questions 

giving  too  long  examinations.     Subjects  have 

become  so  familiar  to  them  that  they  forget  the  time  when 

they,    too,    thought    arithmetic,    geography,    and    English 

difficult. 

A  certain  teacher  of  mathematics  found  it  helpful  occa- 
sionally to  take  the  very  examination  prepared  for  the 
class,  and  time  herself  upon  it.  She  was  always  surprised 
to  find  that  it  took  her  longer  than  she  had  supposed  it 
would  to  do  the  work.  For  the  teacher,  such  a  test  means 
merely  a  mechanical  answering  of  questions  without  thought 
or  study.  The  subject-matter  is  perfectly  familiar,  and  the 
only  time  required  is  that  needed  for  the  manual  labor  of 
putting  the  results  on  paper.  Even  this  will  invariably 
overrun  what  the  teacher  had  supposed  necessary. 

The  child  cannot  write  nearly  as  rapidly  as  the  mature 
person,  and  liberal  allowance  should  be  made  for  this  differ- 
ence. Then  the  pupil  must  find  his  way  slowly  through 
what  has  been  presented  to  his  mind,  and  select  what  is 
necessary  at  this  particular  time.  Sometimes  he  will  go 
wrong  at  first  and  later  see  the  light.  All  this  takes  more 
time  than  the  teacher  realizes  until  she  turns  her  attention 
to  it.  When  she  does,  she  will  not  fail  to  modify  the  length 
of  the  examination. 

The  order  of  questions  has  great  effect  upon  children  tak- 
ing an  examination.     If  the  first  questions  are  especially 


186  THE  TEACHER 

difficult,  the  conclusion  is  apt  to  follow  that  the  others  are 
equally  so,  and  with  this  conclusion  comes  discouragement. 
But  if  the  more  difficult  questions  are  left  to 
Questions  the  last,  the  mind  is  tired  when  they  are 
reached,  and  the  pupil  then  fails  to  do 
himself  justice. 

"Well  begun  is  half  done,"  applies  excellently  here.  If 
the  child  sees  in  the  first  question  something  that  he  can 
answer,  he  attacks  the  examination  with  courage  and  zest 
for  the  encounter.  A  certain  amount  of  impetus  can  be 
gained  here  which  will  have  sustaining  power  for  the  more 
difficult  questions  which  should  come  before  this  impetus 
of  enthusiasm  is  exhausted.  The  last  questions  should  again 
be  among  the  easier  ones,  for  the  child  will  glance  ahead, 
and  if  at  the  end  he  sees  something  that  is  familiar,  that 
fact  sustains  him  while  he  attacks  the  more  difficult  prob- 
lems. These  familiar  things  he  can  meet  even  with  a 
wearied  mind,  when  new  difficulties  would  mean  failure. 

An  examination  should  follow  the  drama  in  arrangement. 
Beginning  at  a  low  level  of  intensity,  it  should  increase  in 
strain  until  the  climax  is  reached,  when  the  difficulties  should 
decrease  to  the  last  question,  which,  like  the  first,  should  be 
clearly  within  the  grasp  of  the  class. 

The  questions  prepared,  the  method  of  handling  the  class 
is  next  in  consideration.  If  possible,  each  pupil  should  have 
Presenting  a  c0Py  °f  the  questions.  An  immense  amount 
Questions  to  °^  strain  and  confusion  and  time  is  saved  in  this 
the  Class  way.     If  the  questions  are  written  on  the  board, 

they  cannot  possibly  be  within  easy  sight  of  all  the  class. 
This  necessitates  craning  of  necks,  asking  of  otherwise 
needless  questions,  inaccurate  copying,  and  more  or  less 
confusion.  All  this  is  immediately  done  away  with  if  each 
pupil  has  a  copy  of  the  questions  on  his  own  desk. 


EXAMINATION  S  187 

This  can  be  very  easily  accomplished  in  these  days  of  inex- 
pensive ways  of  duplication.  It  may  take  a  little  more  of 
a  teacher's  time  outside  of  school,  but  this  is  more  than  com- 
pensated for  by  the  comfort  of  the  examination  period  and 
the  gain  in  the  standing  of  the  class. 

The  examination  should  begin  promptly.     It  is  the  teach- 
er's business  to  see  that  everything  that  she  is  responsible 
for  is  prepared  in  advance.     The  plan  of  seat- 
ing, if  any  special  one  is  desirable,  should  be   Promptness 
well  thought  out  so  that  when  the  pupils  appear 
there  shall  exist  in  the  teacher's  mind  no  uncertainty  as  to 
what  she  shall  do.     She  should  be  so  master  of  the  situation 
that  the  class  will  feel  this  at  once  and  fall  naturally  into 
her  plan. 

When  the  time  set  for  the  examination  has  arrived,  each 
pupil  should  be  in  the  assigned  seat  with  paper,  pen,  or  pen- 
cil, and  everything  else  needed  for  the  test.  At  the  stroke 
of  the  clock  the  questions  should  be  distributed  and  every 
mind  should  bend  to  the  work  in  that  peculiar  hush  that 
goes  with  intense  attention. 

It  now  becomes  part  of  the  business  of  the  teacher  to  look 
after  the  physical  comfort  of  the  class.     This  is  of  more 
importance  than  the  unthinking  would  believe. 
Ventilation,    light,    and    temperature    are    to   comfort 
be  considered.     No  annoying  ray  of  sunshine 
should  be  allowed  to  strike  desk  or  paper ;  the  room  should 
be  watched  for  coolness  in  summer  and  the  right  even  tem- 
perature in  winter.     Each  individual  in  the  class  must  be 
kept  in  mind.     Weeks  of  association  with  these  same  chil- 
dren will  make  clear  the  ones  that  need  particular  attention. 
Each  school,  each  class,  will  present  its  own  peculiarities ; 
the  teacher  must  be  sensitive  to  these  and  ready  to  meet 
them. 


188  THE  TEACHER 

A  part  of  the  value  of  an  examination  consists  in  a  train- 
ing in   form.      The   classes  that  are  allowed  to   go   ahead 

in  a  haphazard  way  will  usually  be  slov- 
Importance  . 

of  Good  enly  in  form  of  work  and  careless  in  habits  of 

Form 

thought. 

The  cry  for  individual  liberty  should  not  be  greatly 
heeded  here.  Clear,  concise  form  shows  its  influence  in 
correspondingly  clear  thinking. 

Of  course,  this  should  not  be  carried  to  the  extent  of 
making  the  thinking  wooden,  and  there  is  that  danger,  but 
it  should  be  insisted  upon  to  the  extent  of  avoiding  all 
mental  confusion  or  mental  delay  in  ploughing  through  a 
mass  of  formless  writing  or  figures.  As  in  everything  else, 
just  enough  should  be  demanded.  To  this  end  a  uniform 
clear  heading  should  appear  on  all  papers.  This  must  be 
planned  by  the  teacher  and  then  insisted  upon. 

Paragraphs,  margins,  spacing,  and  punctuation  are 
merely  a  part  of  good  English  training,  and  are  to  be 
considered  and  demanded  in  every  paper. 

When  a  chemist  makes  a  test,  he  knows  the  particular 
thing  he  is  seeking.  An  examination  should  have  an  equally 
definite  aim.  Clear  and  accurate  statement  of  fact  should 
be  the  objective  point.  Speed  has  a  place  and  often  needs 
especial  attention.  This  is  also  true  of  neatness.  A  certain 
pleasing  effect  which  the  finished  paper  may  have  upon 
the  eye  is  not  without  weight. 

Attention  should  be  given  to  time.  If  the  questions  have 
been  properly  weighed  in  advance  by  the  teacher,  they  will 
be  fitted  to  the  time  allowed  for  examinations, 
oVe"TnmeS  and  only  in  rare  cases  should  that  time  limit 

be  exceeded.  There  are  always  exceptional 
cases  which  demand  consideration,  but  a  part  of  the  teach- 
ing value   of   an   examination   is   the   training  in   doing   a 


EXAMINATION  S  189 

particular  thing  in  a  given  time.  For  this  reason  the 
schedule  should  be  closely  adhered  to. 

There  are  two  classes  of  pupils  who  are  inclined  to  get 
through  an  examination  long  before  the  close  of  the  period ; 
the  very  poor  pupils  and  the  very  bright  ones.  Neither  of 
these  should  be  allowed  to  leave  the  room  as  soon  as  the 
examination  is  finished.  The  bright  pupil  is  frequently  too 
sure  of  himself,  and  falls  into  error  through  careless  self- 
confidence.  The  duller  or  the  lazier  pupil  is  apt  to  see  that 
much  of  the  examination  is  beyond  his  attainments,  and  so 
gives  it  up  before  trying  at  all.  He  prefers  failure  to 
exertion,  and  as  he  feels  sure  that  no  other  result  is  possi- 
ble, he  sees  the  chance  for  a  little  additional  free  time 
for  play. 

These  difficulties  may  be  met  by  stating  that  no  paper 
will  be  accepted  before  a  certain  time ;  what  that  time  shall 
be  should  vary  with  the  length  of  the  examination.  Under 
this  plan  the  bright  pupil  will  work  more  leisurely,  and 
should  he  finish  before  the  allotted  time,  will  take  the  extra 
minutes  to  review  his  paper,  in  this  way  detecting  mistakes 
that  otherwise  would  escape  him. 

When  the  indifferent  pupil  knows  that  escape  is  impossi- 
ble, he  will  sometimes  keep  at  the  task  and  occasionally 
really  accomplish  something. 

Such  an  instance  comes  to  mind  from  a  city  school.  A 
boy  looked  at  the  questions,  thought  he  knew  nothing  about 
them,  and  immediately  went  to  the  desk  to  give  in  his 
paper,  blank  except  for  his  name.  There  had  been  no  time 
fixed  for  handing  in  papers,  but  the  teacher  grasped  the 
situation  and  acted  accordingly. 

"I  cannot  accept  your  paper  now,"  she  said.  "You  may 
take  your  seat,  and,  whether  you  work  or  not,  I  shall  insist 
upon  your  staying  here  at  least  an  hour." 


190  THE  TEACHER 

Of  course  the  boy  did  not  like  it,  and  spent  a  little  time 
in  sulking,  which  the  teacher  allowed  him  to  do,  uninter- 
rupted by  senseless  nagging.  In  fact,  she  paid  no  attention 
whatever  to  him. 

After  a  time,  when  he  saw  that  there  was  no  hope  of 
escape,  he  took  up  the  questions  and  evidently  discovered 
something  that  he  did  know,  for  he  began  to  work.  It 
was  not  long  before  he  was  really  interested,  and  seem- 
ingly putting  his  mind  to  the  subject.  At  any  rate,  he 
ceased  to  glower  at  the  teacher  and  did  not  discover  when 
the  penal  hour  was  up.  One  by  one,  others  finished,  and 
finally  he  looked  up  in  surprise  to  see  the  room  nearly 
deserted.  But  he  had  something  on  his  paper,  and  it  was 
worth  while. 

At  last  he  came  to  the  teacher  in  a  very  different  attitude 
from  his  first  approach,  exclaiming,  with  pride,  "There! 
I've  done  something  on  every  question.  Do  you  suppose 
any  of  it  is  right?" 

"We'll  see,"  replied  the  teacher,  for  she  was  wise  enough 
to  know  that  here  was  a  situation  that  could  not  be  treated 
with  indifference. 

She  read  the  paper  through  and,  without  giving  it  a  defi- 
nite mark,  saw  that  it  would  probably  be  worthy  of  just 
passing.  She  did  not  hesitate  to  tell  him  so,  and  he  went 
away  happy  and  with  renewed  confidence  in  himself.  She 
did  not  spoil  it  all,  either,  by  taking  to  herself  the  credit 
of  keeping  him  by  force  at  the  task.  He  knew  the  fact 
as  well  as  she  did,  and  could  be  trusted  to  draw  the  lesson. 

Needless  confusion  is  to  be  avoided  at  all  times,  and  espe- 
cially during  examination.     To  this  end  there 
confusion  should   be   no   unnecessary   moving   about   the 

room.      It  should  become  the  business  of  the 
teacher  to  wait  upon  the  children,  anticipate  their  wants 


EXAMINATIONS  191 

when  possible,  and  be  ready  to  go  to  individuals  when  sum- 
moned. All  moving  about  the  room  by  pupils  should  be 
eliminated,  for  the  confusion  is  bound  to  be  distracting. 

No  two  will  finish  their  writing  at  the  same  time,  but 
the  pupil  should  not  be  allowed  to  leave  just  at  his  own 
convenience ;  the  comfort  of  the  school  is  to  be  considered. 
A  time  should  be  set  for  the  first  collection  of  papers  and 
that  announced  at  the  beginning  of  the  examination  or 
whenever  the  teacher  can  decide  as  to  the  right  length  of 
time.  After  that,  periods  for  departure  should  be  allowed, 
from  ten  to  fifteen  minutes  apart. 

The  papers  in  the  hands  of  the  teacher,  the  problem  of 
wise   and   just    marking   next   arises.      There   is   no    doubt 
whatever  that  children  frequently  suffer  great 
injustice    through    careless,    unwise,    and    ill-   papers9 
considered  marking.      It   is   not   an   easy   task 
to  take  twenty-five  or  more  papers   on  the   same  subject, 
written  b>  different  individuals,  and  give  a  fair  estimate  of 
results,  but  this  the  teacher  must  accomplish  as  nearly  as 
possible. 

For  some  time  the  percentage  system  has  revealed  its 
incompetence,  and  various  other  means  have  been  devised 
and  tried,  but  none  of  them  prove  entirely  satisfactory. 
This  probably  will  always  be  more  or  less  true,  but  the 
difficulty  must  be  minimized. 

No  matter  whether  the  final  report  be  rendered  to  the 
children  in  letters,  be  marked  "fair,"  "good,"  or  "unsatis- 
factory," or  whether  some  system  of  figures  be  used,  the 
tendency  is  away  from  close  per  cents  which  will  give  the 
children  a  basis  for  minute  comparisons.  For  the  teacher, 
however,  in  marking  the  papers,  some  accurate  basis  of 
comparison  must  be  used  to  approach  universal  justice. 

The  fact  that  a  teacher  is  a  fallible  human  being  must 


192  THE  TEACHER 

never  be  lost  sight  of  for  an  instant.  Her  intentions  may 
be  perfectly  right  and  her  desire  strong  to  mark  all  papers 
justly,  but  a  thousand  influences  combine  to  defeat  that 
purpose.  Her  attitude  toward  individuals  in  the  class  is 
not  without  effect,  although  she  insists,  even  to  herself, 
that  her  personal  feelings  do  not  enter  into  the  account. 
Unconsciously  they  have  weight. 

Then  her  own  physical  and  mental  weariness  are  to  be 
reckoned  with.  The  first  few  papers  will  be  marked  with 
reasonable  justice  and  upon  an  even  scale  of  judgment. 
Later  the  strain  begins  to  tell,  and  the  attitude,  through 
nervous  irritation,  becomes  sharply  critical  and  the  mark- 
ing becomes  unduly  severe.  On  the  other  hand,  weariness 
may  dull  the  mind  and  vital  mistakes  escape  notice,  poor 
papers  thus  slipping  through  for  more  than  their  face 
value.  In  either  case,  the  n^arks  written  upon  the  papers 
will  not  be  put  there  with  uniform,  steady  judgment.  Under 
such  a  vision,  they  are  bound  to  be  more  or  less  unjust. 
Everything  possible  should  be  done  to  guard  against  this 
condition. 

Knowing  how  difficult  the  situation  is,  it  may  be  helpful 
to  outline  one  method  which  has  been  tried  with  excellent 
results. 

After  the  questions  are  made  out,  and  before  the  time 
for  examination,  a  careful  valuation  should  be  set  upon 
them,  and  a  marking  key  blocked  out.  This  key  gives  the 
list  of  the  class  with  ruled  space  for  marking  each  ques- 
tion. The  value  to  be  given  each  question  is  placed  at  the 
top  of  the  proper  column.  If  the  question  is  divided 
into  parts,  or  the  answer  has  various  natural  divisions,  these 
should  be  indicated  and  the  partial  value  fixed  for  each. 
The  following  form  may  be  suggestive: 


EXAMINATIONS 


193 


Marking  Key 


I 

II 

III 

IV 

V 

VI 

VII 

"«3 

■*-> 

o 

% 

C      eg 

— 

— 

fr- 

hS 

NAMES 

10 
10 

15 

20 

12 
12 

8 
8 

20 

15 

15 

100 
100 

100 
100 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

10 

10 

Jones,  Paul 

9 

3 

3 

0 

0 

5 

5 

4 

8 

4 

10 

5 

12 

68 

68 

F 

Smith,  John 

10 

5 

5 

3 

5 

5 

5 

5 

12 

5 

9 

9 

13 

91 

91 

E 

Arrange  the  papers  alphabetically  corresponding  to  the 
key  list.  The  marking  should  be  done  one  question  at  a 
time.  The  first  question  on  every  paper  should  be  marked 
and  a  valuation  set  upon  it  before  the  second  question 
is  touched.  In  this  way  the  critical  judgment  is  held 
to  a  limited  subject  and  comparisons  between  different 
papers  can  easily  be  kept  in  mind.  The  markings  of  this 
first  question  should  be  critically  studied  before  going 
'ahead.  Usually  you  will  be  surprised  to  see  how  these 
standings,  thus  grouped,  agree  with  your  general  esti- 
mate of  the  pupils. 

This  done,  the  next  question  and  the  next  should  be 
taken  up  in  the  same  way,  and  so  on  to  the  end. 

By  this  method  the  judgment  can  be  recorded  at  the  end 
of  each  question.  This  gives  one  the  opportunity  for  a 
rest  at  intervals  without  having  to  hold  in  mind  anything 
that  has  gone  before,  and  without  fear  of  forgetting  what 
this  paper  or  that  was  marked  upon  any  particular  point. 
A  station  for  rest  can  be  taken  at  the  end  of  each  question, 
and  the  mind  return  to  its  attack  upon  the  next  one 
refreshed  as  to  a  new  task.     The  adding  of  the  final  mark- 


194  THE  TEACHER 

ings  ought  to  give  about  as  fair  an  estimate  of  the  work  of 
the  class  as  a  finite  mind  can  attain. 

There  is  no  reason  why  these  separate  questions  should 
not  be  marked  in  per  cents.  The  total  can  be  translated, 
before  publishing,  into  the  system  of  marking  in  vogue  in 
the  school.  In  doing  this  a  certain  range  is  permissible 
and  this  range  will  do  away  with  the  annoying  comparison 
of  markings  which  is  sometimes  disturbing  to  the  teacher. 
For  instance,  anything  between  90  and  100  might  be  con- 
sidered excellent,  while  anything  below  a  certain  mark, 
unsatisfactory,  according  to  what  might  be  deemed  a  pass- 
ing standing,  and  all  marks  between  graded  accordingly. 
Each  school  will  have  to  work  out  the  translation  accord- 
ing to  its  own  particular  system  of  marking. 

Constant  hammering  away  on  the  principles  of  individual 
honesty,  an  attitude  of  confidence  toward  a  class,  combined 
with  sensitiveness  to  conditions  and  unfailing 
Honesty  alertness  will  eventually  bring  most  young  peo- 

ple to  the  right  attitude  toward  examinations 
— an  attitude  of  honesty. 

There  is  a  decided  difference  between  alert  watchfulness 
and  a  suspicious  attitude.  The  former  every  successful 
teacher  must  maintain  throughout  her  days,  although  the 
watchfulness  must  not  be  apparent ;  the  latter  is  fatal  to 
success  in  any  direction. 

Good  teaching  stands  preeminent  in  getting  independent 
work  on  examinations.  The  pupil  who  is  well  prepared  for 
the  ordeal  is  not  looking  around  for  forbidden  assistance. 
Hence,  after  all,  as  in  most  cases,  the  great  responsibility 
rests  with  the  teacher.  When  cheating  becomes  epidemic, 
then  it  behooves  the  teacher  to  make  careful  examination  of 
herself,  for  the  fault  is  pretty  sure  to  be  there.  She 
has   probably  allowed  her  pupils  to   go   over  the  subject 


EXAMINATIONS  195 

without  a  sense  of  mastery  of  it  and  without  gaining  the 
necessary  power.  Knowing  their  own  weaknesses,  the  pupils 
try  to  fortify  themselves  in  some  way  for  the  test. 

If  the  fault  does  not  lie  here,  perhaps  the  teacher  has 
failed  to  inspire  her  classes  with  a  sense  of  true  loyalty  to 
themselves.  In  any  case,  it  is  almost  axiomatic  that  the 
teacher  is  somewhere  to  blame. 

Let  her  seek  diligently  for  the  fault  until  she  find  it. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

INTEGRITY 

No  education  is  complete  which  does  not  include  the 
development  of  the  child  morally.  While  this  is  not  a 
treatise  on  moral  education,  the  true  spirit  of  teaching  can- 
not be  adequately  covered  without  some  formal  discussion 
of  certain  phases  of  moral  training. 

In  seeking  for  the  vital  element  upon  which  all  other 
moral  qualities  depend,  it  seems  to  be  found  in  the  one 
word,  integrity.  If  this  lies  at  the  foundation 
of1  integrity  °^  character,  the  superstructure  reared  upon  it 
is  bound  to  be  symmetrical  and  lasting.  Upon 
it  all  other  virtues  rest.  Honesty,  truthfulness,  uprightness, 
fidelity,  faithfulness,  loyalty,  self-respect,  promptness, 
obedience,  courage,  determination,  justice,  purity — the 
qualities  which  inspire  in  us  a  deep  feeling  of  respect — 
cannot  exist  without  the  underlying  one  of  integrity.  If 
this  is  the  corner-stone,  the  other  virtues  are  pretty  sure 
to  be  found  in  the  individual.  Any  other  foundation  is 
but  shifting  sand :  the  house  built  upon  it  is  sure  to  fall. 

The  change  in  social,  industrial,  and  economic  conditions 

has  been  so  phenomenal  during  the  last  twenty-five  years, 

and  we   have  been   so   absorbed   in  producing 

sentiment        them  and  admiring  the  results,  that  we  have 

paid  little  attention  to  anything  else. 

We  are  now  confronted  by  the  fact  that  deeper,  although 
more  subtle,  changes  have  been  made  in  the  social  structure. 

196 


INTEGRITY  197 

Religion  has  gone  out  of  fashion ;  graft  is  rampant ;  the 
big  man  is  the  one  who  wins  the  game  and  little  scrutiny  is 
given  to  his  methods. 

Public  sentiment  has  changed.  We  have  become  tolerant 
of  many  things  which  fifty  years  ago  would  have  shocked 
every  respectable  community.  Two  generations  back,  what 
would  they  have  thought  of  our  modern  theatres,  of  the 
vaudeville  shows  on  Sunday,  or  of  the  shows  themselves? 
Strict  integrity  in  business  is  not  demanded  as  it  once  was. 
It  is  not  uncommon  to  hear  a  man  highly  respected  in  his 
community,  and  whose  personal  honor  is  unquestioned,  say 
that  one  cannot  do  business  today  and  be  strictly  honest. 

Tolerance  of  questionable  methods  is  common.  The  man 
who  would  not  be  guilty  of  dishonesty  himself  is  merely 
amused  by  the  subterfuges  of  his  friends,  rather  than 
indignant. 

This  too  common  attitude  is  pretty  well  illustrated  in 
the  novel,  "Queed,"  by  Henry  Sydnor  Harrison.  Charles 
Gardiner  West,  representing  a  pleasant  type  of  the  suc- 
cessful young  man,  tells  Sharlee  Weyland  about  Bobby 
Smythe's  plan  for  making  a  little  extra  money.  To  West 
the  whole  affair  is  merely  a  good  joke. 

"There  is  a  lot  of  building  going  on  in  his  (Bobby 
Smythe's)  neighborhood,  it  seems,  and  it  occurred  to  him 
to  send  around  to  the  various  owners  and  offer  his  private 
watchman  to  guard  the  loose  building  materials ;  this  for 
the  very  reasonable  price  of  $3.50  a  week.  It  went  like 
hot  cakes.  'But,'  said  I,  'surely  your  one  watchman  can't 
look  after  thirty-seven  different  places.'  'No,'  said  Bobby, 
'but  they  think  he  does.'  I  laughed  and  commended  his 
ingenuity.  'But  the  best  part  of  the  joke,'  said  he,  'is  that 
/  haven't  got  any  watchman  at  all.'  " 

A  boy  who  was  late  for  the  afternoon  session  offered  as 


198  THE  TEACHER 

an  excuse  the  heated  argument  which  had  arisen  at  the 

luncheon  table  on  the  subject  of  gambling. 

M  The  father  and  mother  were  old-fashioned 

Effect  Upon 

Young  enough  to  retain  a  few  definite  moral  standards. 

People  ° 

They  were  emphatically  opposed  to  gambling  in 
any  form  or  anything  that  approached  it.  The  boy  could 
see  nothing  wrong  in  it.  He  argued  that  a  man  went 
into  any  such  scheme  with  his  eyes  wide  open,  understand- 
ing that  he  was  just  as  likely  to  lose  as  to  win.  If  he  were 
willing  to  take  the  chance,  to  stand  the  loss,  why  wasn't 
that  all  there  was  of  it?  He  could  not  be  made  to  see  any 
7noral  question  involved. 

The  strongest  arguments  of  his  parents  failed  to  change 
his  attitude.  The  boy  had  been  well  and  rationally  reared. 
He  and  his  father  were  the  best  of  friends.  He  had  such 
confidence  in  both  his  parents  that  he  was  not  afraid  to 
express  his  honest  opinion  even  though  he  knew  they 
would  not  agree  with  him.  Moreover,  he  had  that  quality 
all  too  rare  in  these  days — parental  respect. 

At  the  close  of  the  discussion  he  said  voluntarily,  "Of 
course,  I  will  not  play  cards  for  money  or  gamble  in  any 
way,  when  I  know  how  you  feel  about  it,  but  I  don't  see 
anything  wrong  in  it." 

Conversation  with  the  mother  later  revealed  the  feeling 
on  her  part  that  public  sentiment  had  grown  so  lax  that 
it  was  overthrowing  the  influence  of  those  homes  that  still 
held  some  definite  standards,  and  still  clung  to  some  ideals. 

"Why,  think  of  it !"  exclaimed  this  mother,  who  was 
prominent  in  the  most  exclusive  social  set  of  the  city,  "I  am 
considered  almost  a  freak  because  I  will  not  play  bridge 
for  money." 

Another  boy,  a  most  excellent  student  and  a  fine  fellow 
in  every  respect,  asked  for  consideration  for  not  being  as 


INTEGRITY  199 

well  prepared  as  usual  on  his  lessons.  In  explaining  he 
said,  "Dad  had  a  poker  party  last  night,  and  there  was  so 
much  going  on  that  I  couldn't  study." 

Everyone  can  gather  within  his  own  small  circle  many 
examples  of  similar  character.  These  go  to  prove  a  decided 
loosening  of  moral  tension  in  every  community,  a  tolerance 
and  even  serene  acceptance  of  conditions  that  not  very  long 
ago  would  have  been  emphatically  condemned. 

"Somebody's  swiped  my  tablet,"  says  a  boy  beginning 
to  look  around  for  an  unprotected  one  of  which  to  take 
possession.     "I  left  my  book  in  my  desk  when 
I    went    to    class,    and    somebody's    taken    it."   ftandards 
"May   I   borrow    a    pen?      John    took   mine." 
"Gee !  I  can't  keep  anything  unless  I  carry  it  around  with 
me  all  the  time !" 

Every  teacher  hears  such  expressions  constantly.  The 
saddest  thing  about  it  all  is  the  fact  that  the  ones  making 
them  see  no  moral  question  involved.  They  are  annoyed 
by  the  momentary  discomfort,  but  when  the  teacher  asks 
for  assistance  in  discovering  the  guilty  party,  the  usual 
answer  is,  "Oh!  that's  all  right.  I  take  other  fellows' 
things  when  I  can't  find  mine." 

The  moral  point  is  obscured  by  the  prevalence  of  the  cus- 
tom, and  the  idea  prevails  that  there  is  a  decided  difference 
between  "swiping"  and  stealing.  A  boy  who  would  not 
take  money  from  a  schoolmate  treats  all  his  other  belong- 
ings as  common  property.  He  has  ceased  to  respect  the 
property  rights  of  the  individual. 

The  same  lack  of  moral  fibre  appears  in  athletics.  Most 
schools  could  offer  extensive  testimony  of  the  dishonesty 
of  opposing  teams;  of  their  own  shortcomings  they  say 
little  or  nothing.  An  impartial  study  of  the  situation 
would  reveal  that  too  many  are  tarred  with  the  same  brush. 


200  THE  TEACHER 

From  "swiping"  to  stealing  is  but  a  short  step.  To  prove 
that  the  step  has  been  taken  by  many,  it  is  only  necessary 
to  walk  through  the  modern  school  building  and  notice  the 
system  of  lockers  now  considered  a  necessity.  Once  a  simple 
lock  or  no  lock  at  all  was  sufficient.  Now,  money,  clothes, 
and  athletic  material  have  no  protection  unless  covered  by 
a  combination  lock  like  that  on  a  burglar-proof  safe. 

This  whole  matter  has  been  so  thoroughly  discussed  that 
elaboration  of  it  is  not  necessary  here.* 

One  of  the  worst  obstacles  to  the  development  of  full 
integrity  in  school  is  the  existence  of  a  double  standard. 
An  attitude  that  is  entirely  justifiable  toward 
standard*3'6  a  teacher  would  not  be  tolerated  for  an  instant 
among  the  young  people  themselves.  To  get 
the  best  of  a  teacher  is  clever;  to  lie  to  a  comrade  is 
unpardonable. 

It  was  found  necessary  to  dismiss  a  boy  from  a  boarding- 
school.  In  commenting  upon  the  occurrence  to  one  of  the 
teachers,  another  boy  remarked,  "Gee !  we  fellows  were 
wise  to  him  right  away.  He  told  big  stories  which  made  us 
suspicious.  Then  he  went  to  lying  to  us  boys,  and  we 
knew  then  he  was  no  good.  Of  course,  we  didn't  hold  it 
against  him  when  he  lied  to  you  teachers,  for  that  was 
different,  but  when  he  lied  to  us  it  was  all  off." 

This  Janus-headed  attitude  shows  itself  in  all  school 
relations. 

It    may    seldom,    perhaps    never,    come    to    formulated 

expression,  but  the  belief  is  as  old  as  the  oldest  school-house 

that  a  teacher  must  be  tricked  into  believing 

Ffecitatfon        that  everybody  has  his  lesson.     The  whole  class 

is  united  in  this  endeavor. 


*  For  an  excellent  presentation  of  this  whole  subject,  see  "The 
School  Review,"  February,  1912.  "The  High  School  Boy's  Morals," 
bv  Franklin  W.  Johnson. 


INTEGRITY  201 

The  boy  who  is  stumblingly  trying  to  make  a  recitation 
is,  in  the  minds  of  his  fellows,  entitled  to  all  assistance 
within  his  reach.  His  neighbor  is  in  duty  bound  to  prompt 
him,  if  that  can  be  done  skillfully  enough  to  evade  the 
teacher;  an  open  book,  a  supporting  paper,  an  interlinear, 
anything  that  will  bring  the  individual  to  a  happy  issue  out 
of  all  his  troubles,  is  fair  play.     The  only  crime  is  detection. 

There  is  no  sure  way  of  correcting  this  except  to  change 
the  attitude  of  the  class  in  this  particular.  The  task  is  not 
an  easy  one,  but  much  can  be  done  by  persistent  endeavor. 
Keenness  of  observation,  amiability,  quick  wit,  and  persist- 
ency, are  the  necessary  weapons.  The  confidence  of  the 
class  should  be  engaged  and  in  a  kindly,  sympathetic  way 
the  struggle  for  independent  work  should  be  waged. 

A  teacher  once  took  a  class  that  was  particularly  trouble- 
some in  the  matter  of  getting  help  wherever  it  was  within 
reach.  They  gratefully  accepted  all  promptings  from  their 
neighbors,  opened  their  books  whenever  memory  failed,  and 
thought  everything  fair  in  recitation  as  in  war.  The  teacher 
labored  unremittinghT  for  correction  of  the  evil,  and  made 
headwav. 

One  day  the  geometry  lesson  consisted  of  the  sixth  and 
seventh  propositions,  and  these  were  assigned  alternately 
to  the  class  as  they  stood  at  the  board.  The  sixth  was  very 
easy;  the  seventh,  difficult. 

Soon  there  came  from  behind  the  teacher  the  pathetic 
voice,  with  a  laugh  in  it,  however,  of  the  boy  who  had  been 
the  very  worst  offender,  "It's  all  right  to  peek  in  the  book 
if  you  get  the  seventh,  isn't  it?" 

The  teacher  knew  that  she  had  won,  for  when  one  can, 
joke  about  what  has  been  a  serious  fault,  the  struggle  is 
over. 

The  assigning  of  a  certain  amount  of  written  work  to 


202  THE  TEACHER 

be  done  out  of  class  and  handed  in  is  a  common  practice. 
This  will  produce  desirable  results  or  the  contrary,  depend- 
ing upon  the  good  sense  of  the  teacher  and  the  relations 
which  exist  between  her  and  the  class.  The  ingenious  and 
lazy  ones  may,  some  of  them  will,  profit  by  the  ability  or 
industry  of  others.  Eternal  vigilance  is  the  price  of 
honesty  in  this  regard. 

Monotony  here  is  deadly.  As  soon  as  a  class  learns  that 
a  certain  number  of  examples,  a  certain  number  of  sen- 
tences, will  be  demanded  each  day,  the  work  loses  all  its 
spring,  and  the  ingenuity  of  the  class  will  be  aroused  to 
get  these  tangible  results  as  easily  as  possible.  A  division 
of  labor  is  likely  to  follow,  for  copying  is  so  much  easier 
than  wrestling  alone  with  the  difficulty.  This  can  be  done 
without  detection  by  even  the  brightest  teacher  on  close 
watch  for  it.  The  only  effective  way  is  to  remove  the 
desire. 

Herein  lies  one  reason  for  the  method  of  marking  already 
suggested.  Only  a  small  part  of  the  day's  work  should  be 
allowed  to  depend  upon  these  papers  prepared  outside. 
The  recitation  should  produce  the  same  correct  solution  of 
the  same  correct  sentences,  and  mental  comparison  made  of 
the  class  work  and  the  paper  handed  in.  If  the  class  reci- 
tation falls  much  below  the  paper,  then  there  is  cause  for 
suspicion  and  for  renewed  watchfulness.  If  attempted  dis- 
honesty is  pretty  nearly  proved,  then  it  must  be  run  to 
earth  and  forcibhy  dealt  with. 

How  this  shall  be  done,  again  depends  upon  the  indi- 
vidual teacher  and  her  personal  relations  to  the  pupil. 
There  is  always  the  chance  that  the  suspicion  may  be  an 
unjust  one,  and  indignation  often  follows  alike  the  just 
and  the  unjust  accusation. 

Sometimes  it  is  best  to  meet  the  suspect  frankly,  put 


INTEGRITY  203 

before  him  the  evidence  as  it  appears  to  you,  show  that  it 
seems  condemnatory,  and  then,  in  all  seriousness,  ask  if 
there  is  any  circumstance  that  you  have  overlooked.  This 
should  be  done  in  the  manner  which  every  tactful  teacher 
commands,  to  stir  the  desire  to  tell  the  truth  and  to  meet 
the  situation  fairly.  This  will  not  always  work;  sometimes 
the  pupil  who  you  are  convinced  has  been  dealing  dishon- 
estly will  still  insist  upon  his  innocence.  In  that  case,  you 
must  try  some  other  way. 

It  is  well  to  talk  to  the  class  together,  letting  them 
understand  that  you  are  not  free  from  the  feeling  that 
some  in  the  class  are  not  doing  honest  work.  This  is  the 
opportunity  for  bringing  forcefully  to  their  minds  the  idea 
that  it  is  not  the  teacher  who  is  suffering,  but  themselves 
who  are  being  cheated.  It  will  take  many  talks,  before  the 
idea  takes  lodgment  in  the  brains  of  the  young  people. 

With  the  right  treatment,  however,  a  class  can  be  brought 
to  realize  that  they  are  wasting  their  own  time  and  energies 
by  trying  anything  but  honest  work. 

A  teacher  once  had  a  long,  hard  battle  with  one  particu- 
lar boy. 

When  she  took  the  class  there  was  strong  evidence  that 
a  few  of  the  brighter  pupils  were  doing  the  written  work, 
the  rest  being  content  merely  to  copy.  By  bringing  the 
indolent  to  grief  in  recitation,  by  constant  talking  upon 
the  subject,  by  showing  how  this  habit  was  only  working 
their  own  downfall,  and  by  serious  talks  with  some  of  the 
more  persistent  offenders,  she  nearly  eradicated  the  tend- 
ency. One  boy,  however,  continued  to  hand  in  papers  that 
were  not  his  work,  and  she  determined  to  conquer  him  for 
his  own  sake. 

"I've  had  a  queer  experience,"  she  said  one  day,  as  she 
stood  before  the  class. 


204  THE  TEACHER 

Everyone  came  quickly  to  attention,  for  this  woman  was 
often  picturesque  in  her  methods,  and  the  tone  of  her  voice 
and  her  manner  aroused  curiosity. 

"In  looking  over  these  papers,"  she  continued,  glancing 
at  the  package  in  her  hand,  "somehow  I  got  them  mixed 
up,  and  two  of  them  were  so  exactly  alike  that  I  couldn't 
tell  them  apart,  and  couldn't  put  the  right  sheets  together, 
so  I  threw  the  papers  into  the  waste  basket  and  marked  the 
standings  of  both  zero." 

There  was  silence  for  an  instant,  for  every  member  of 
the  class  understood  what  had  happened.  Then  those  who 
knew  they  were  innocent  either  of  copying  or  of  lending 
paper  to  be  copied  began  to  look  around  the  class  to  dis- 
cover the  culprits.  Most  of  them  knew  where  to  look,  for 
this  one  boy  was  an  old  offender,  better  known  to  the  class 
than  to  the  teacher. 

He  tried  to  look  unconscious,  but  the  leveled  eves  of  his 
classmates  proved  too  much  for  him,  and,  dropping  his 
head,  he  made  busy  with  his  book. 

The  teacher  then  went  on  with  the  recitation,  allowing 
the  event  to  work  its  way  down  into  the  boy's  conscience, 
feeling  sure  that  her  action  would  eventually  bear  fruit. 

Later  in  the  day  the  boy  dropped  into  the  vacant  chair 
on  the  platform  beside  her. 

"Bob  wasn't  to  blame  at  all,"  he  said.  "I  asked  him  for 
his  paper.  Of  course  you  know  I  was  the  one  who  copied. 
Bob  never  needs  any  help." 

"Yes,  I  knew  you  did  the  copying,  but  Bob  is  equally 
to  blame." 

John  looked  up  in  surprise. 

"You  doubt  that,  don't  you?  Let's  see  what  Bob  has  to 
say,"  she  said,  motioning  him  to  the  chair  on  the  other 
side  of  her. 


INTEGRITY  205 

"A  fellow  couldn't  refuse  to  lend  his  paper,"  said  Bob. 
when  the  question  was  put  to  him. 

"And  you  don't  think  you  were  doing  anything  wrong 
in  lending  it?" 

"If  I  should  refuse,  all  the  fellows  would  think  I  was 
stuck  up  and  mean.     You  can't  be  a  cad,  you  know." 

"Do  you  think  it  right  to  help  another  do  wrong?" 

"Of  course  not,"  agreed  Bob. 

"If  John  had  asked  you  to  help  him  steal  a  thousand 
dollars,  should  you  have  considered  yourself  a  cad  if  you 
had  refused?" 

"That  is  different." 

"Different  in  degree,  perhaps,  but  not  in  kind.  The  law 
holds  an  accomplice  in  crime  culpable  as  well  as  the  chief 
offender.  If  you  help  a  comrade  do  a  dishonest  act,  do 
you  not  become  his  accomplice?" 

"I  never  thought  of  it  in  that  light,"  Bob  confessed, 
and  John  looked  as  though  the  idea  was  new  to  him  also. 

"The  trouble  is,"  continued  the  teacher,  "that  young 
people  think  that  moral  standards  in  school  are  different 
from  those  that  govern  life  elsewhere,  and  so  do  things  in 
connection  with  school  that  they  would  scorn  to  do  outside. 
Neither  one  of  you  would  steal,  and  yet  you  were  both 
willing  to  cheat  me  into  giving  John  a  mark  which  he  had 
not  earned." 

"But  what  should  I  have  done?"  asked  Bob. 

"I  confess  that  is  a  hard  question  to  answer.  The  real 
cure  is  in  getting  John,  and  others  who  have  been  willing 
to  lean  upon  their  friends,  to  scorn  such  trickery.  That 
condition  may  come  slowly,  but  I  propose  to  continue  the 
campaign  to  stamp  out  such  dishonesty." 

"Can't  we  have  any  chance  to  make  up  this  morning's 
work?"  asked  John. 


206  THE  TEACHER 

"I'll  do  my  paper  all  over,"  Bob  offered,  "and  twice  as 
many  examples  more,  if  you'll  give  me  the  chance." 

"And  I'll  do  mine  all  over,"  said  John,  "and' as  much 
more  as  you  think  I  ought  to  do." 

The  teacher  considered. 

"I  believe  I  will  let  you  do  what  you  propose.  Perhaps 
in  that  way  I  can  make  you  understand  that  what  I  am 
seeking  is  right  relation  in  school  work." 

With  that  the  interview  closed.  Bob  plunged  into  the 
work  and  soon  brought  the  completed  day's  paper,  and 
asked  for  the  extra  assignment.  The  teacher  gave  him  a 
heavy  one.  That  did  not  trouble  Bob,  however,  for  he  was 
a  good  student. 

But  with  John  it  was  different.  He  had  for  so  long 
depended  upon  someone  else  to  do  his  work  that  to  delve 
honestly  and  prepare  the  lesson  all  alone  was  a  tremendous 
task.  He  went  at  it,  though,  as  if  he  meant  to  conquer  it 
himself. 

The  teacher  understood  human  nature  pretty  well  and, 
knowing  that  honesty  is  not  reached  by  a  single  bound,  she 
did  not  let  her  mind  wander  entirely  from  the  boy  whose 
seat  was  near  her  desk. 

For  a  time  everything  went  well,  then  John  began  to 
watch  the  teacher  until  she  saw  that  he  was  consulting  a 
paper  under  his  desk. 

"Bring  me  that  paper,  John,"  she  said. 

John  hunted  around  in  his  desk  in  a  hesitating  man- 
ner, finally  offering  a  package  of  theme  paper.  The  time 
had  passed  for  considerate  treatment;  stern  justice  was 
now  in  demand. 

"I  am  sure,  now,  that  I  shall  not  care  to  see  the  paper 
which  you  are  preparing,"  she  said,  turning  away  with  an 
air  of  finality. 


INTEGRITY  207 

The  boy  sat  for  a  long  time  looking  out  of  the  window. 
Anger  burned  in  his  face,  but  whether  the  wrath  was  di- 
rected against  the  teacher  or  against  himself  was  im- 
possible to  tell.  At  any  rate,  it  was  a  time  to  let  him 
utterly  alone.  A  hard  fight  was  before  him  and  no  one 
could  help  him  yet. 

"When  the   soul   arms   for   battle, 
It  goes  forth  alone." 

Little  by  little  his  mood  changed.  Finally  he  attracted 
the  teacher's  attention  to  the  fact  that  he  was  tearing  up  a 
lot  of  papers.  When  he  was  through  with  that,  he  brought 
his  book  and  a  fresh  tablet  to  her  desk,  pulled  out  the 
extension,  and  took  a  seat  at  the  teacher's  side.  Neither 
spoke  a  word.  This  teacher  had  learned  the  power  that 
lies  in  silence. 

John  began  at  the  beginning  of  the  fatal  lesson.  He 
had  good  natural  ability  but  had  so  long  depended  upon 
others  that  the  day's  assignment  really  offered  a  long,  hard 
task.  But  he  set  his  teeth  and  the  same  look  came  into 
his  face  that  the  teacher  had  seen  when  he  took  the  ball 
for  a  long  run  down  the  football  field  toward  the  enemy's 
goal.  This  gave  her  courage  and  she  began  to  hope  that 
this  determination  would  master  his  natural  impatience  and 
bring  him  to  the  right. 

She  went  on  about  her  own  duties  but  was  ready  to  help 
when  he  needed  help  and  to  answer  all  his  questions.  He 
made  steady  progress  but  when  school  closed  the  task  was 
not  ended.  The  boy,  however,  never  looked  up  but  kept 
steadily  at  work.  Finally,  with  head  lifted  high,  he 
exclaimed  in  triumph : 

"There,  I  did  them  all ! " 


208  THE  TEACHER 

"And  you  did  them  yourself.     That  is  the  best  of  it.'" 

"I'll  never  try  to  cheat  you  again.  I'm  through.  Will 
you  shake  on  it?"  And  he  reached  out  his  strong  young 
hand. 

She  met  the  firm  grasp  that  almost  crushed  her  hand, 
without  flinching. 

"Remember  this,"  was  her  summary,  "you  will  be  with 
me  here  only  a  little  while  and  it  will  not  be  difficult  to 
deceive  me,  but  you  cannot  long  deceive  yourself.  You 
will  have  to  live  with  yourself  all  your  life.  See  to  it 
that  you  make  yourself  a  worthy   companion." 

Such  a  victory  is  not  for  a  day  nor  for  a  year.  He 
had  fought  the  good  fight  and  won  a  victory  the  effect 
of  which  would  last  through  life. 

Ways  of  preventing  cheating  in  examination  have  been 
suggested  and  discussed  without  end,  but  the  sovereign 
(b)    ,n  remedy   has   not  yet  been   discovered.      There 

t^ons1'"3"  are  ^wo  general  methods:  one  is  the  so-called 
honor  system ;  the  other,  the  one  of  eternal 
vigilance.  Can  either  one  be  adopted  pure  and  simple  in 
the  grades  or  even  in  the  high  school? 

A  police  system  of  supervision  is  to  be  deplored  in  any 
school  work,  and  it  is  not  necessary  in  examinations.  The 
moment  a  teacher  takes  up  a  conspicuous  position  and 
begins  to  patrol  the  aisles  she  immediately  advertises  the 
fact  that,  in  her  opinion,  the  class  cannot  be  trusted.  This 
serves  to  put  them  on  their  mettle  to  see  if  they  cannot 
beat  the  teacher  at  her  own  game. 

Some  of  them  will  succeed  if  they  are  so  minded,  and  she 
never  be  the  wiser.  The  man  or  woman  does  not  live 
who  is  sufficiently  argus  eyed  to  keep  constantly  within 
vision  the  movements  of  each  individual  in  the  class.  It  if 
easy  to  steal   a  glance  at  supporting  book   or  charitable 


INTEGRITY  209 

paper   or   get   a   helpful   word   from   neighbor   and  never 
arouse  suspicion. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  teacher  who  leaves  pupils  entirely 
to  themselves,  who  takes  up  a  book  or  occupies  herself  with 
papers,  equally  advertises  for  dishonesty. 

No  matter  what  the  method  pursued,  there  are  sure  to 
be  occasional  cases  of  cheating  in  examinations ;  that  is 
inevitable.  No  one  need  expect  to  bring  school  or  class 
to  that  standard  of  individual  honesty  where  there  will 
never  be  a  case  of  cheating.  It  can,  however,  be  practically 
eradicated  and  a  class  brought  to  that  condition  where,  as 
a  class,  it  is  honest.  There  will  always  be  individuals  who 
can  never  be  whipped  into  line. 

To  attain  even  these  results  constant  exertion  is  neces- 
sary. Every  effort  must  be  put  forth  to  remove  the 
temptation  to  cheat,  every  opportunity  embraced  to  in- 
spire each  child  with  a  desire  for  personal  integrity.  As  in 
recitation,  he  should  be  led  to  see  that  the  person  whom 
he  is  really  cheating  is  himself.  He  should  be  inspired 
to  the  strong  feeling  that  loyalty  to  his  own  honor  is  his 
first  duty,  his  high  purpose  in  life.  Young  people  re- 
spond readily  to  such  influences  and  the  majority  will 
always  be  impressed.  In  fact,  the  majority  are  honest; 
the  dishonest  form  the  exception. 

If  a  general  spirit  of  class  honesty  can  be  aroused,  it 
helps  much  toward  individual  honesty.  When  this  is 
accomplished  the  dishonest  child  loses  caste  and  is  held 
in  scorn  by  his  fellows.  This  is  emphatically  true  of 
younger  children. 

An  honor  system  pure  and  simple  may  be  a 
success  in  college;  that  it  can  be  in  the  lower   JySetem0nor 
school   is   a   doubtful   proposition.      It   is   true 
that  the  nearest  approach  to  it  that  is  possible  should  be 


210  THE  TEACHER 

striven  for  with  the  utmost  earnestness,  and  all  young 
people  lifted  to  the  highest  standard  of  honesty  which 
they  can  be  made  to  attain. 

The  difference,  however,  in  the  needs  and  the  maturity 
of  the  grades  and  the  secondary  schools  should  never  be 
lost  sight  of.  What  will  do  for  colleges  is  ruinous  to  the 
graded  school.  That  is  as  true  in  moral  training  as  in 
intellectual. 

A  great  many  public  schools  have  tried  the  honor  sys- 
tem and  various  schemes  of  self-government.  They  have 
exploited  their  success  for  a  time,  but  they  have  not  stilled 
the  incredulity  of  the  skeptical.  Some  educators  have 
worked  out  a  theory,  a  beautiful  and  a  symmetrical  one; 
they  think  about  this,  they  dream  about  it  and  ideally  they 
see  it  in  operation.  The  perfection  of  it  is  so  close  to 
their  vision  that  they  cannot  always  see  at  first  what  is 
really  happening  when  it  is  put  into  practical  operation. 
Like  many  theories  for  perpetual  motion,  it  might  work 
in  a  vacuum,  but  when  it  encounters  the  friction  of  the  real 
world  it  eventually  runs  down. 

The  friction  that  thus  disarranges  all  these  fanciful 
schemes  for  starting  the  moral  machinery  and  then  going 
away  and  expecting  it  to  run  on  indefinitely  is  the  human 
element  that  must  be  reckoned  with. 

Youth,  inexperience,  impulse,  natural  tendencies,  have 
to  be  constantly  considered.  There  is  no  question  what- 
ever in  the  mind  of  anyone  who  has  dealt  sympathetically 
with  young  people  that  their  intentions  are  right.  They 
wish  to  be  good  and  pure  and  honest;  they  desire 
to  be  considered  so.  Much  dishonesty  arises  from  this 
very  ambition  to  appear  honest,  if  that  paradox  is  plain. 

The  moral  training  of  young  people  is  much  like  teach- 
ing  little   ones   to   walk.      We   let   them   go   alone   to   the 


INTEGRITY  211 

full  limit  of  their  strength,  but  the  watchful  attention  of 
the  loving  parent  saves  the  child  a  fall  when  possible  or 
wise;  when  that  cannot  be  accomplished  he  picks  him 
up,  soothes  his  hurts,  and  sets  him  upon  his  feet,  again 
headed  in  the  right  direction.  We  do  not,  however,  let 
the  undeveloped  child  go  far  from  our  watchful  eye ;  the 
restraining,  helpful  hand  is  always  within  reach  when  need 
for  it  arises. 

Each  human  life  is  molded  to  the  pattern  of  its  ideals. 
It   may   not   come   true,    symmetrical,    or    entirely    beau- 
tiful from  the  wheel  of  life,  the  colors  may  dim 
in  the  firing  or  fade  out  altogether,  yet  with-    ideals 
out    some    model,    some    definite    pattern,    the 
clay   would   remain   but    a    shapeless   mass,   unformed    and 
useless. 

None  of  us  ever  attain  to  the  full  glory  of  our  ideals, 
yet  without  them  the  days  are  purposeless,  the  hours  but 
a  barren  waste. 

Ambition  touches  us  early ;  emulation  stirs  us  to  en- 
deavor. The  first  childish  imaginings  may  not  rise  higher 
than  the  desire  to  be  a  policeman,  a  fireman,  or  a  street-car 
conductor.  These  are  the  picturesque  instances  of  great- 
ness and  authority  that  first  strike  the  childish  vision. 
The  child  goes  to  a  circus.  Its  glamour  leads  him  on  to 
the  wild  ambition  to  enter  the  sawdust  ring.  On  a  little 
journey,  he  becomes  enamored  of  the  mighty  puffing  engine 
and  dreams  of  some  day  having  his  hand  upon  the  throttle, 
the  wonderful  mechanism  under  his  control. 

As  life  broadens  and  experiences  change,  the  ideals  of 
the  child  change  with  each  stage  of  his  development,  grow- 
ing more  ambitious  all  the  time. 

The  natural  ideals  of  a  child  have  to  do  with  the  ma- 
terial side  of  life,  yet  this  tendency  to  look  to  others  for 


212  THE  TEACHER 

models  offers  the  opportunity  for  implanting  standards  of 
integrity.  These  deeper,  more  subtle  ideals  must  come 
from  the  outside  but  they  will  be  received  eagerly  and  fol- 
lowed closely,  more  closely  than  older  people  sometimes 
expect. 

The  setting  up  of  these  high  moral  standards  is  one  of 
the  most  important  duties  of  everyone  having  to  do  with 
the  training  of  children. 

Each  night  when  dinner  was  over  two  bovs  claimed  their 
mother  for  their  own.  No  matter  what  the  evening's  later 
engagement,  there  came 


a 


A  pause  in  the  day's  occupation 
That  is  known  as  the  children's  hour." 

Often  the  time  was  given  to  story  telling  or  reading,  and 
the  reading  was  not  of  mere  idle  tales  to  be  heard  today  and 
forgotten  tomorrow.  The  boys  knew  their  Hawthorne's 
"Wonder  Book"  almost  by  heart.  Perseus,  Bellerophon, 
Pegasus,  and  all  the  other  characters  with  long  Greek 
names  were  their  fairies.  They  knew  the  story  of  the 
Trojan  War  and  the  wanderings  of  Ulysses.  When 
they  reached  "Hiawatha"  the  dramatic  instinct  leaped 
forth  in  the  younger  of  the  two  boys,  and'  for  months  he 
was  Hiawatha. 

He  carried  the  same  intensity  into  American  history. 
It  was  but  a  step  from  Hiawatha  to  John  Smith  and  then 
came  the  revolution  with  George  Washington  the  central 
figure.  All  the  others  faded  into  f orgetfulness  before  this 
new  and  wonderful  character. 

George  Washington  became  his  one  hero  and  the  boy 
listened  to  every  story  about  him  with  absorption.  He 
started  a  George  Washington  scrap-book  and  his  mother 


INTEGRITY  213 

helped  him  find  pictures  and  stories  to  put  into  it.  A  fine 
framed  copy  of  the  Stuart  Washington  was  a  part  of  his 
Christmas  and  was  given  the  place  of  honor  in  his  room. 
His  mother  made  him  a  hat  which  he  thought  looked  like 
the  one  his  hero  wore  in  that  wonderful  picture,  "Wash- 
ington Crossing  the  Delaware."  With  this  hat  and 
with  a  sword  and  a  few  other  properties,  he  delighted  in 
striking  what  he  imagined  were  Washingtonian  attitudes 
and  making  Washingtonian  speeches. 

Through  all  these  things,  the  character  of  the  man 
drove  its  impression  deep  into  the  little  boy's  heart  and 
mind. 

These  two  boys  were  given  a  wise  amount  of  liberty 
but  there  were  some  things  which  they  knew  they  must  not 
do.  They  had  a  little  cousin  whose  father  owned  a  big  hotel, 
where  there  was  much  to  attract  the  small  boy.  There 
was  the  big  friendly  steward  in  the  store-room,  which  was 
piled  with  oranges,  bananas,  nuts,  raisins,  and  other  good 
things.  Strolling  musicians  were  frequently  in  the  lobby ; 
sometimes  a  brass  band  with  the  attendant  crowd,  and 
always  there  was  fascinating  excitement. 

The  mother  was  sure  this  was  not  a  very  good  place  for 
the  boys  to  spend  their  time,  and  she  had  said  they  must 
never  go  there  without  her  permission. 

One  afternoon  she  sat  in  her  room.  Suddenly  the  front 
door  slammed,  she  heard  rushing  feet  along  the  hall  and 
on  the  stairs,  heard  the  call  "Mother!  mother!"  The 
door  was  thrown  open  and  the  child,  breathless  and  with 
tears  streaming  down  his  face,  flung  himself  into  his 
mother's  arms. 

"I  didn't  go  in,  mother !  I  got  clear  to  the  hotel  door, 
but  I  couldn't  go  in,  for  I  must  grow  up  to  be  a  good  man 
like   George  Washington,   so   I   had  to   mind  you !"     And 


214  THE  TEACHER 

with  a  deeper  sob,  the  sob  of  relief,  he  hid  his  head  on 
his  mother's  shoulder. 

And  then  the  mother  knew  that  the  silent  teaching  of 
the  good  great  man  had  touched  the  soul  of  her  boy. 
When  tempted  beyond  his  strength,  he  remembered  his 
hero  and  his  hero  saved  him. 

This  is  only  one  of  the  noble  characters  with  which  his- 
tory is  crowded.  Their  value  as  live,  forceful  teachers, 
as  helps  toward  building  character,  can  scarcely  be  over-* 
estimated.  The  companions  of  our  thoughts  are  as  im- 
portant as  the  companions  of  flesh  and  blood  and  vastly 
more  permanent. 

Every  purposeful  impulse  has  a  tendency  to  take  shape 

in    some   form    of   organization.      The    gregariousness    of 

human  nature  impels  to  the  forming  of  clubs 

Organization    ^or  mutual  support  and  assistance.     When  two 

or  three  are  gathered  together  in  the  name  of 

some  high  purpose,  a  club  is  usually  the  result. 

The  institutional  church  has  taken  advantage  of  this 
characteristic  to  organize  its  young  people  for  general  or 
specific  improvement.  The  Boy  Scouts  of  America,  nation 
wide  in  its  influence,  is,  through  its  very  systematic  organi- 
zation, putting  before  boys  high  ideals  and  teaching  them 
to  incorporate  these  ideals  into  their  daily  life.  The  Camp 
Fire  Girls  is  planning  to  do  the  same  thing  for  girls. 

The  little  clubs  that  spring  up  in  every  community, 
especially  in  schools,  have  their  foundation  in  some  desire 
for  improvement  either  intellectually,  morally,  or  spiritu- 
ally. Even  the  school  fraternities,  now  in  such  disfavor, 
started  out  with  worthy  purposes. 

This  natural  impulse  toward  organization  may,  through 
wise  encouragement  and  judicious  oversight,  be  turned  to 
good  account.     Here  is  one  instance  where  that  was  done. 


INTEGRITY  215 

A  sixth  year  class  read  the  story  of  King  Arthur  and 
His  Knights.  The  accounts  of  thrilling  adventures, 
the  high  ideals  of  the  Arthurian  legends  are  pecul- 
iarly appealing  to  boys  of  this  age.  The  fights  with 
monsters  and  the  stories  of  brave  knights  found  ready 
response  in  the  heart  of  every  boy.  Then  came  the  longing 
to  perform  deeds  of  heroism.  But,  alas !  there  were  no 
vast  forests  where  wild  beasts  crouched  ready  to  seize  upon 
and  to  devour  the  unwary.  There  were  no  moat-encircled 
castles  in  which  beautiful  princesses  were  imprisoned,  await- 
ing rescue  at  the  hands  of  gallant  knights. 

At  length,  whether  evolved  from  their  own  imaginings 
or  whether  subtly  suggested  by  the  wise  teacher  whose 
guiding  hand  was  always  over  the  class,  the  idea  came  to 
the  surface  that,  while  these  material  battles  were  impos- 
sible, there  were  evils  to  be  combated,  wars  to  be  waged, 
victories  to  be  won. 

The  final  outcome  was  the  forming  of  a  Court  of  King 
Arthur  and  his  noble  knights  with  regular  meetings  of 
the  Round  Table.  Each  boy  took  the  name  of  some  knight 
and  the  ideals  of  King  Arthur,  Merlin,  Galahad,  Lancelot, 
Bedivere,  and  others  became  a  part  of  the  daily  life. 

Each  boy  designed  and  made  for  himself  in  the  shops 
and  art  room  an  appropriate  shield  and  banner.  Upon 
these,  dragons,  serpents,  the  rising  sun,  the  cross,  and 
the  gleaming  chalice  were  favorite  emblems. 

They  had  a  pin  which  King  Arthur  presented  at  the 
ceremonial  of  knighting.  It  was  a  blue  shield  bearing  a 
white  cross.  The  spirit  of  the  organization  is  set  forth 
in  King  Arthur's  charge: 

"A  badge  of  knighthood  would  I  have  you  wear,  a 
silver    shield,    a   symbol    of    your    strength    and    power   to 


216  THE  TEACHER 

guard  all  good  from  touch  of  harm,  and  with  your  kindly 
heart  and  knightly  arm  protect  all  who  are  weak.  This 
badge  must  mean  that  you  will  be  true  knights  and  bold, 
that  men  may  count  on  you  to  win  this  court  and  all  the 
world  to  that  which  is  most  pure  and  good. 

"Across  the  shield  there  is  a  cross,  another  symbol  this : 
The  cross  we  wear  is  never  laid  upon  us ;  we  must  take  it 
of  our  own  free  will — and  so  across  the  shield  there  is  the 
sign  that  Arthur's  knights  have  taken  on  themselves  the 
burden  of  the  warfare  that  shall  win  the  cause  that  many 
great  and  good  have  lived  and  died  to  win,  the  cause  of 
righteousness,  first  here  in  Arthur's  Court,  and  then  in 
the  whole  world. 

"And  so,  my  knights,  so  long  as  you  do  wear  this  shield, 
barred  with  the  cross  of  white,  I  charge  you  to  think  well 
upon  its  meaning  and  be  strong  and  pure  and  true." 

The  blue  shield  was  a  constant  reminder  of  what  they 
expected  of  themselves  and  of  each  other.  The  teacher 
had  merely  to  look  at  the  emblem  on  the  boy's  coat  to 
bring  him  instantly  to  a  right  attitude.  Besides  watching 
themselves  they  took  a  personal  interest  in  all  the  members 
of  the  court  and  became  in  a  way  responsible   for  them. 

One  day  the  class  had  made  a  dismal  failure  in  recita- 
tion and  the  teacher  directed  them  to  report  after  school. 
She  did  not  put  it  as  a  punishment,  but  she  gave  them  the 
opportunity  to  make  up  the  work. 

At  close  of  school  every  boy  but  one  was  in  his  seat. 
This  absence  aroused  great  indignation  on  the  part  of 
those  who  were  present  and  all  through  the  time  they 
studied  frequent  growls  could  be  heard  because  of  the 
defection    of   this    one   member.      That,   however,    did   not 


INTEGRITY  21 


■~ 


interfere  with  their  work  and  the  allotted  task  was  soon 
finished.  They  left  the  room  in  a  hum  of  indignation 
at  the  boy  who  had  dared  thus  neglect  his  duty.  He 
was  no  worthy  member  of  their  society  and  must  be  vig- 
orously dealt  with. 

The  teacher  was  busy  at  her  desk  for  a  little  time.  There 
was  a  shuffling  commotion  in  the  hall.  The  door  burst  open 
and  King  Arthur  and  one  of  the  other  knights  appeared 
in  the  doorway  holding  the  culprit  between  them,  a  close 
prisoner.  Behind  this  group  was  the  entire  class,  the 
complete  circle  of  the  Round  Table. 

"We've  got  him !"  said  the  leader,  "and  he's  got  to 
do  his  work  or  we'll  turn  him  out.  The  idea  of  a  bov 
who  wears  our  pin  not  doing  what  he's  told  to !"  And 
they  all  looked  at  him  with  such  scorn  as  only  the  single- 
mindedness  of  such  a  group  of  boys  can  furnish. 

The  teacher  supposed  that,  having  delivered  their  pris- 
oner, the  boys  would  depart,  but  not  so.  They  all  sat 
down  behind  him  with  a  look  of  grim  determination  on 
their  faces  and  the  remark  from  the  leader  indicated  that 
they  proposed  to  stay  until  they  saw  every  bit  of  the  work 
completed.     And  they  did. 

In  the  face  of  the  general  letting  down  of  public  senti- 
ment, in  the  lax  attitude  of  many  homes,  what  responsi- 
bilitv  shall  the  schools  take? 

Responsi- 

The   easier  attitude   is  the  assumption  that    biiity  of  the 

r  Teacher 

if    parents    are    indifferent    the    teacher    need 

not  be  disturbed.     But  that  is  not  the  answer  which  teachers 

themselves  are  giving. 

For  the  greater  part  of  their  waking  hours  children 
are  under  the  care  of  the  schools.  Their  regular  activities 
are  here,  the   activities  through  which   character  is  being 


218  THE  TEACHER 

molded.  For  this  reason  it  becomes  the  business,  the  im- 
portant business  of  the  school,  to  see  that  these  activities 
are  honestly  carried  out,  so  that  the  boys  and  girls  will 
have  the  sure  foundation  of  integrity. 

Organized  systematic  study  of  the  question  has  been  en- 
tered upon  and  definite  action  taken  by  various  school  or- 
ganizations to  combat  the  general  indifference  to  the  higher 
issues  of  life.  The  Council  of  the  National  Educational 
Association  has  taken  the  matter  up  and  state  after  state 
has  appointed  committees  for  the  furthering  of  systematic 
teaching  of  morals  in  the  public  schools.  It  may  be  some 
time  before  they  agree  as  to  how  this  shall  be  done,  whether 
directly  or  indirectly,  but  the  discussion,  the  various  maga- 
zine articles,  and  the  experimentation  is  bound  to  keep  the 
subject  pretty  thoroughly  before  the  minds  of  all  teachers. 

In  a  way,  schools  have  always  stood  for  integrity,  but 
that  position  has  too  often  been  a  passive  one, — the  silent 
bloodless  hand  upon  a  guide-post  pointing  the  way,  in  the 
right  direction,  to  be  sure,  but  doing  it  mutely,  inertly. 
The  crying  need  of  youth  is  the  hand  sympathetically 
extended,  warm,  tender,  pulsating  with  the  life-blood  of 
honest  activity,  a  hand  to  lead  the  child  joyously  on  his 
way  to  perfect  integrity. 

As  the  years  go  by,  we  get  rather  hopeless  of  social 
conditions.  So  many  things  seem  impossible  to  change 
that  it  is  easy  to  give  up  trying.  This  attitude  may  be 
justifiable  when  dealing  with  adults,  but  the  young  are 
wax  in  our  hands,  clay  moist  for  facile  modeling. 

The  cases  are  rare  when  a  child  by  right  training,  care- 
ful counsel,  and  persistent  alertness  may  not  be  brought 
to  general  uprightness. 

There  is  no  place  where  more  can  be  done  to  this  end 
than  in  the  schools  where  his  life  centers,  where  are  to  be 


INTEGRITY  219 

found  his  greatest  activities.     The  responsibility  for  this 
rests  upon  the  teachers. 

The  intense  aversion  of  young  people  to  what  they  term 
"preaching"  has  gone  far  toward  eliminating  serious  talks 
to   them.      There    is   a   way,   however,    of   ap- 
proaching   many    serious    subjects    so    as    to    Talks.3' 
hold  their  thoughtful  attention.    With  all  their 
buoyancy  and  merriment,  under  all  their  carelessness,  there 
is  in  children  a  deep  vein  of  seriousness.     "The  thoughts  of 
youth  are  long,  long  thoughts,"  and  through  them  their 
minds  travel  over  many  mighty  questions. 

In  a  school  where  the  woman  in  charge  had  come  into 
very  close  relations  with  the  boys  and  girls,  it  grew  to 
be  a  regular  part  of  the  programme  to  talk  to  the  pupils 
each  Monday  on  some  serious  subject.  These  "Monday 
Talks,"  as  the  school  soon  named  them,  originated  in  taking 
a  minute  or  two  at  the  beginning  of  the  week  to  mention 
little  things  that  always  need  occasional  gathering  up, — 
trifling  disorders,  general  dropping  down  in  studies,  or 
announcements   of   changes   affecting  the    entire   school. 

It  was  but  a  step  to  other  topics  and  the  school  began 
to  look  forward  to  these  talks.  The  principal  saw  in  them 
an  opportunity  for  wider  influence.  At  first  she  went  very 
gingerly,  afraid  of  "preaching,"  but  in  a  little  while  no 
subject  was  too  serious.  Never  did  she  note  in  the  up- 
turned faces  anything  but  earnest,  purposeful  attention  to 
her  helpful,  sober  words. 

It  is  more  than  ten  years  since  she  left  that  school,  but 
occasionally  even  now  a  pupil  of  those  days  tells  her  some- 
thing that  she  said  in  one  of  those  Monday  talks  which  has 
exerted  upon  him  an  influence  for  good. 

The  inspiration  of  an  outsider  will  invariably  leave 
results.     A  good  powerful  speaker  rarely  fails  to  say  some- 


220  THE  TEACHER 

thing  that  sticks.  Usually  such  speakers  present  a  truth 
in  vivid  picturesque  language.  Sometimes  it  is  a  figure 
striking  enough  to  make  a  permanent  impression. 

A  college  president  in  addressing  a  boys'  school  com- 
pared one  type  of  boys  to  a  wheelbarrow.  A  wheelbarrow 
cannot  stand  up  except  for  the  supporting  legs  put  there 
for  that  sole  purpose.  It  never  gets  anywhere  unless  some 
outside  force  pushes  it. 

In  this  school  each  Frida}^  night  a  list  of  those  who  had 
fallen  below  standard  in  studies  for  the  week  was  posted 
by  numbers.  After  this  speech,  the  man  in  charge  headed 
this  list,  "The  Wheelbarrow  Club."  This  came  to  mean 
more  than  failure  in  studies.  It  hinted  at  the  reason : 
these  bo3Ts  were  not  able  to  stand  alone ;  they  could  not  get 
where  they  belonged  without  the  most  constant  pushing. 
"The  Wheelbarrow  Club"  became  very  unpopular  and 
efforts  increased  to  keep  out  of  it. 

At  another  time  a  speaker  dwelt  impressively  upon  the 
voluntary  service  which  really  great  people  have  rendered 
the  world.  He  showed  that  the  things  which  stand  for 
progress  have  been  done  not  because  the  person  doing 
them  was  compelled  to  do  them  but  because  a  deep  integrity 
in  his  own  nature  urged  him  on  to  do  the  utmost  of  which 
he  was  capable.  The  speaker  also  showed  that  such  people 
were  capable  of  these  higher  accomplishments  because  they 
had  done  honestly  the  things  that  fell  in  the  line  of  their 
plain  duty.  He  summed  up  in  words  that  possessed  cling- 
ing qualities : 

"The  things  that  you  do  that  you  don't  have  to  are 
more  important  than  the  things  you  do  that  you  do  have 
to.  But  you  can't  do  the  things  you  don't  have  to  till 
you  have  done  the  things  you  do  have  to." 


INTEGRITY  221 

"I've  had  an  awful  time  making  my  accounts  come  out 
right !"      The  speaker  was  a  boy  in  a  large  school. 

"Did  you  succeed?"  asked  a  teacher. 

"Well,   I  had   to  monkey  with   them   a   lot  ?^°nal 
before  they  did." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  that?"  asked  the  teacher. 

"Why,  you  see,  my  father  is  trying  a  new  plan  with 
my  allowance.  He  gave  me  some  money  the  first  of  the 
month.  He  told  me  he  wanted  me  to  spend  it  as  I  thought 
best,  but  he  wanted  me  to  keep  an  account  and  let  him 
see  it  each  week,  so  he  could  help  me  learn  to  spend  money 
and  not  throw  it  away  for  foolishness.  The  first  week  I 
came  out  all  right,  but  this  week  I've  forgotten  to  put 
down  things  and  I  was  two  or  three  dollars  short  at  first." 

"What  did  you  do  ?" 

"Oh,  I  made  it  all  right.  I  went  over  it  and  added  a 
little  here  and  a  little  there  until  I  made  it  balance." 

"And  you  thought  that  was  right?" 

"Sure!  I  spent  the  money  for  just  about  those  things, 
only  I  couldn't  remember  exactly  what." 

"Why  didn't  you  charge  up  the  difference  to  loss?" 

"Father  would  go  up  in  the  air  if  it  didn't  balance." 

"Oh!  you  were  a  coward?" 

"No,  not  exactly,  but  I  hate  to  have  him  mad  if  I  can 
help  it." 

The  teacher  thought  a  minute.  "I  don't  know  your 
father  \er\  well,  but  I  think  he  is  the  kind  of  man  to 
whom  I  could  give  every  dollar  I  had  without  taking  a 
receipt  and  know  that  when  I  wanted  it  back  your  father 
would  give  an  honest  accounting." 

"That's  right." 

"If  he  became  angry  at  you,  it  would  be  because  of  his 
anxiety  to  have  you  grow  up  with  the  same  kind  of  integ- 


222  THE  TEACHER 

rity.  Do  you  think  you  can  do  that  by  beginning  now 
to   falsify  your  accounts?" 

"No,  of  course  not,  but  what  would  you  do?" 

"If  I  had  the  courage,  and  I  think  you  have,  I  should 
tell  him  the  exact  truth,  and  this  is  about  what  I  think 
it  is :  you  started  out  all  right  and  kept  strict  account 
for  a  week.  By  the  second  week  it  had  become  an  old 
story.  You  didn't  set  down  each  expenditure  as  you  made 
it.  Your  natural  carelessness  got  in  the  way.  You  are 
sorry  and  you  will  try  to  do  better  next  week.  The  reason 
that  you  wanted  to  falsify  your  accounts  was  to  avoid 
unpleasantness  now,  for  you  are  perfectly  sure  you  will 
never  be  so  careless  again  if  you  can  only  get  out  of  this 
difficulty  comfortably.     Am  I  right?" 

"Sure,  you  are." 

"Does  that  strike  you  as  being  something  the  line  of 
reasoning  that  defalcating  cashiers  have  taken?  Don't  be 
a  coward.     Tell  the  truth  and  take  the  consequences." 

The  boy  took  the  advice  and  not  only  confessed  his 
carelessness,  but  told  the  whole  story  of  his  talk  with  the 
teacher.  The  father  did  not  become  angry.  The  boy 
made  one  step  toward  strengthening  the  integrity  of  his 
nature,  but  without  wise  counsel  he  would  have  gone  in 
the  other  direction. 

Every  day  offers  opportunities  similar  to  the  above.  The 
careless  teacher,  the  time-server,  will  never  see  them.  The 
helpful  teacher  will  stretch  out  a  hand  to  all  of  them. 
Nine  times  out  of  ten  he  will  win.  The  liar  will  soon 
begin  to  tell  the  truth  to  such  a  teacher.  The  thief  con- 
victed by  such  a  teacher  will  cease  to  steal,  recitations  will 
grow  more  honest,  cheating  will  fade  from  examinations,  a 
general  spirit  of  integrity  and  mutual  confidence  will  grow 
up  in  a  school  dominated  by  such  a  personality. 


INTEGRITY  228 

Such  a  teacher  will  often  feel  at  the  close  of  the  day 
that  "virtue  has  gone  out  of  him,"  but  it  will  have  gone 
to  the  uplifting  of  each  individual  in  the  school  to  a 
higher  plane  of  honesty. 


CHAPTER  XV 

SCHOOL  WASTE 

The  famous  ordinance  of  1787  declared  that  in  these 

United  States,  "Schools  and  the  means  of  education  shall 

forever  be   encouraged."     From   that   dav   to 

Development  .  °  J 

of  Our  this    the    value    of    education    has    never   been 

System  . 

lost  sight  of.  Decade  by  decade  there  has 
arisen  upon  this  foundation  a  massive  superstructure  which 
has  long  been  the  pride  of  the  nation.  That  it  is  big 
enough  to  be  proud  of,  there  is  no  question,  but  that 
it  is  beautiful,  complete,  or  wholly  sound,  is  open  to 
argument. 

We  boast  of  this  mighty  system  of  education,  with  espe- 
cial emphasis  upon  the  system.  We  have  built  up  a  great 
machine.  Our  children  at  the  age  of  four  or  five  are 
poured  into  the  hopper  of  the  kindergarten  and  ground 
systematically  through  the  primary  and  secondary  schools. 
If,  in  the  grinding  process,  a  few  grains  of  humanity  es- 
cape, there  are  compulsory  education  laws  and  vigorous, 
able-bodied  truant  officers  to  gather  up  the  grains  and  re- 
turn them  to  the  mill.  By  means  of  college  entrance 
examinations,  or  of  a  diploma  s}7stem,  the  youths  are  passed 
on  to  the  somewhat  more  flexible  machine  of  the  colleges. 

The  early  schools  grew  naturally  out  of  the  social  and 
industrial  conditions  of  colonial  life.  Communities  were 
small  and  families  lived  under  identical  or  similar  condi- 
tions.     They  were  near  enough  the  beginnings   of  their 

224 


SCHOOL  WASTE  225 

own  peculiar  civilization  to  understand  what,  at  that  time, 
was  best  for  them.  The  young  man  who  was  to  continue 
on  the  farm,  go  into  business,  or  start  out  into  the  world 
to  seek  his  fortune,  never  thought  of  college  as  either 
desirable  or  possible  for  him.  Farm  or  an  established  busi- 
ness claimed  some.  If  a  trade  were  chosen,  then  the  ap- 
prentice system  took  care  of  the  candidate  and  a  boy  had 
years  of  specific  training  under  skilled  blacksmith,  carpen- 
ter,  or   cabinet-maker,   as   the   case   might   be. 

For  these  reasons,  college  work,  planned  solely  for  pro- 
fessional men,  took  clearly  defined  and  narrow  lines,  the 
bulk  of  the  work  being  Greek,  Latin,  and  mathematics, 
with  a  little  history  and  less  French,  German,  and  literature. 
Of  science,  according  to  modern  standards,  there  was  hardly 
enough  to  mention. 

There  was  no  question  as  to  the  desirability  of  the  studies 
selected.  The  lawyer  must  know  Latin  and  Greek  in  order 
to  adorn  his  pleadings  with  sonorous  and  impressive 
periods ;  the  doctor  must  have  countless  classical  words  and 
terminations  to  fortify  his  unscientific  drugs ;  the  preacher 
must  stand  before  a  community  as  the  exponent  of  all  hu- 
man knowledge  as  well  as  a  guide  in  things  spiritual ;  the 
teacher  must  be  more  than  a  dictionary,  better  than  an 
encyclopedia. 

As  soon  as  colleges  came  into  prominence  it  was  neces- 
sary for  entering  students  to  possess  a  reasonably  accu- 
rate knowledge  of  certain  facts.  It  then  became  the  busi- 
ness of  academies  to  offer  means  for  gathering  this  infor- 
mation. 

The  academy  was  the  door  and,  like  the  colleges,  began 
to  demand  a  pass-word.  In  this  way,  the  common  schools, 
becoming  the  slaves  of  the  secondary  schools,  were  attached 
to  the  system. 


226  THE  TEACHER 

In  this  perfectly  natural  way,  growing  normally  out  of 
the  then  existing  social  and  industrial  conditions,  a  clearly 
defined  educational  system  was  built  up.  This  system  was 
dominated  from  the  top, — from  the  colleges.  They  set  the 
pace,  they  dictated  to  the  academies  which  then  filled  the 
place  of  our  secondary  schools,  which,  in  their  turn, 
stretched  out  a  compelling  hand  to  the  common  schools. 

This   educational   system   exists  today,   out   of  harmony 

with  modern  civilization  and  as  inadequate   for  the  needs 

of  modern  life  as  would  be  the  swinging  flail  or 

Complacency    the  graceful  sickle  to  the  American  farmer  on 

the  plains  of  the  vast  northwest. 

The  colleges  are  still  absolute  dictators  and  to  their 
demands  the  secondary  schools  have  meekly  acceded,  ac- 
cepting without  a  murmur  all  requirements  for  added  work. 
They  have  gone  on  whipping  up  their  pupils  to  keep  them 
in  the  race,  even  though  they  stumbled  over  the  line  intel- 
lectually winded  and  with  heart  completely  knocked  out 
for  the  next  race. 

If  the  way  is  by  college  entrance  examination,  the  real 
education  of  the  pupil  must  be  suspended  not  later  than 
the  eleventh  year  in  order  to  begin  the  process  of  cram- 
ming his  brain  with  certain  facts.  When  entrance  is  by 
diploma,  the  condition  is  but  slightly  different.  The  col- 
leges still  say  what  shall  be  done ;  they  merely  place  a  little 
more  confidence  in  the  teachers  of  the  secondary  school 
and  trust  them  to  see  that  the  cramming  is  properly  done. 

The  American  people  have  accepted  with  satisfaction 
and  pride  this  standard  for  our  school.  They  have  seemed 
to  feel  that  education,  like  love,  is  not  education 

"Which  alters  when  it  alteration  finds." 

Originally   organized   for   purely   academic   culture,   we 


SCHOOL  WASTE  227 

have  let  civilization  march  past  us  and  have  been  slow  to 
realize  that  changed  conditions  make  different  demands 
upon  everything,  even  our  schools. 

For  generations  we  have  looked  upon  this  structure  and 
called  it  good.  We  have  made  of  our  educational  system 
a  fetish ;  we  have  bowed  down  to  an  idol. 

But  that  day  is  past.  In  the  minds  of  all  unrest* 
thinkers  on  educational  matters  there  have 
arisen  grave  doubts  as  to  the  wisdom  of  what  we  are  doing, 
a  question  as  to  whether  we  are  not  entirely  on  the  wrong 
track.  Decided  unrest  marks  the  educational  world.  Dis- 
satisfaction with  the  schools,  and  criticisms  of  their  methods, 
fill  magazines  and  newspapers,  while  adverse  discussion  flows 
freely  from  the  mouths  of  teachers  themselves. 

Tested  by  the  needs  of  modern  civilization,  possibly 
we  are  fundamentally  wrong.  Is  this  great  system,  so 
cheerfully  supported  by  the  people,  wasting  the  money  of 
the  people?  Is  it  wasting  the  energy  of  the  child?  Is  it 
wasting  opportunities?     Is  it  wasting  life? 

The  former  dump  heap  of  great  manufacturing  estab- 
lishments has  now  become  their  gold  mine.  By  the  con- 
servation of  what  was  once  waste,  the  by-products  have  fre- 
quently become  more  valuable  than  the  original  output. 
In  the  business  world  waste  is  considered  almost  criminal, 
vet  in  our  schools  we  have  submitted  to  it  in  countless 
directions  without  a  murmur,  often  without  knowing  that 
it  exists. 

If  it  were  possible,  would  it  not  be  well  to  "draw  the 
wet  sponge   across   the  accusing   slate"   and  begin   again? 

Of   course   that   cannot   be    done.      We    are 
like  property  owners  in  a  great  city  who  find    Remedy? the 
themselves  possessed  of  a  building  too  valuable 
to    tear    down,    but    inadequate    for    growing    needs    and 


228  THE  TEACHER 

shaky  in  its  foundations.  The  building  must  be  lifted  and 
supported  until  a  new  foundation  can  be  put  under  it 
strong  enough  for  future  needs  and  then  the  rest  of  the 
building  must  be  repaired  and  enlarged  and  fitted  to  modern 
demands  as  rapidly  as  possible. 

It  should  be  the  business  of  every  teacher  early  to  take 
her  bearings  upon  the  educational  sea,  study  the  chart 
carefully  for  already  tested  harbors,  know  the  rocks  and 
reefs  which  have  warped  and  battered  the  craft,  and  then 
send  the  searching  glass  far  ahead  to  seek  a  clear  path  to 
the  desired  harbor. 

Teachers  should  be  educational  experts,  thoroughly  fa- 
miliar with  the  present  system,  conscious  of  its  faults  and 
its  points  of  permanent  value,  but  ever  on  the  watch  for 
chances  for  improvement,  ready  even  for  a  revolution  if 
that  way  lies  reform. 

Schools   and  teachers  have  been   severely   criticized  for 
the   epidemic  of  fads  that  has   swept   the   country.      But 
what  does  this  faddism  indicate?     Merely  that 
pads  the  educational  system  is  desperately  sick  and 

that  the  earnest,  enthusiastic  educators  are 
trying,  by  the  application  of  certain  specifics  which  have 
worked  cures  in  some  cases,  to  restore  the  body  to  a 
healthy,  vigorous  condition. 

Moreover,  many  things  that  were  once  looked  upon  as 
fads  have  been  regularly  incorporated  into  school  work 
and  are  now  considered  a  vital  and  valuable  part  of  it. 

Schools  were  originally  established  for  purely  academic 

instruction.     In  harmony  with  that  standard  as  originally 

developed,   we  had  accepted  without  question 

standard60*       the  idea  that  nothing  was  education  that  did 

not  lead  in  a  straight  line  to  a  college  degree. 

More  than  that,  the  only  degree  that  was  looked  upon  with 


SCHOOL  WASTE  229 

full  respect  was  that  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  which  demanded 
Greek  as  a  prime  requirement.  It  is  not  very  long  since 
one  college  after  another  admitted  that  a  man  might  be 
educated  even  if  he  could  not  read  Homer  in  the  original. 

Yet,  even  after  that  emancipation,  other  degrees  were 
looked  upon  with  suspicion.  A  Bachelor  of  Science  might 
have  gained  the  power  to  thread  railroads  through  moun- 
tains and  across  continents,  to  build  ships  that  go  down 
to  the  sea,  or  clear  a  passage  for  them  through  the  Isthmus 
of  Panama, — he  might  have  power  to  do  all  this  and  yet 
the  title  of  the  educated  man,  the  master's  degree  goes  to 
the  individual  who,  shut  away  from  the  world's  great 
activities,  passes  his  life  among  his  books. 

The  worjd  needs  a  certain  percentage  of  people  who 
shall  give  their  lives  to  purely  scholastic  pursuits,  who 
shall  do  the  theorizing  for  the  world,  who  shall  deal  with 
matters  abstractly  intellectual.  But  the  percentage  of  that 
type  really  needed  is  much  smaller  than  the  educational 
practice  has  estimated. 

We  have  made  the  mistake  of  thinking  that  this  was 
the  only  mold  in  which  the  educated,  trained  individual 
could  be  cast.  As  a  result,  we  have  been  sending  too  many 
people  to  college.  Walk  with  your  thinking  eyes  open 
through  any  college  campus  and  you  will  meet  scores  of 
students  whose  faces  tell  that  they  are  spending  days  in 
studying  things  that  find  no  response  in  their  natures,  to 
fit  them  for  an   occupation  which  does  not  interest  them. 

They  are  like  the  traveler  who  gazed  with  unseeing  eyes 
upon  the  glorious  Alps,  but  "saw  no  Mont  Blanc,  for  there 
was  no  Mont  Blanc  within  him."  Yet  these  same  young 
men  and  women  have  in  them  possibilities  for  development 
in  directions  along  which  the  world  needs  their  serv- 
ice.    They  have  fallen  victims  to  the  idea  that  the  only 


230  THE  TEACHER 

education  is  that  which  scholastic  attainments  give.  To  go 
to  college  has  been  held  the  proper  thing  to  do  and  so 
they  make  great  sacrifices  and  go,  against  the  cry  of 
their  own  natures  to  do  the  conventional  thing.  When  they 
are  through,  it  is  often  too  late  for  them  to  follow  effi- 
ciently the  line  of  work  in  which  they  might  have  done 
exceptionally  well  had  there  been  someone  to  help  them 
listen  to  the  voice  of  their  own  nature. 

The  schools  are  largely  responsible  for  this  tremendous 
waste  in  human  activity,  for  they  have  habitually  held  up 
the  standard  of  college  as  the  only  perfect  one. 

There  is  a  growing  opinion  that  too  much  time  is  spent 
in  school  with  far  too  paltry  results.  There  have  been 
countless  suggestions  made  of  ways,  to  shorten 
ofC<Timey  the  time  and  to  turn  well  trained  energy  sooner 

into  the  nation's  activities.  Some  schools  have 
experimented  upon  eliminating  the  eighth  grade,  others 
have  advocated  the  reduction  of  the  high  school  course  to 
three  years ;  again,  the  same  shortening  of  time  has  been 
recommended  for  the  colleges. 

It  is  certain  beyond  argument  that  the  time  allowed  for 
formal  education  is  fully  long  enough  for  the  average  mind 
and  altogether  too  long,  even  with  present  methods,  for 
those  of  higher  mental  potentiality.  This  is  fully  illus- 
trated where  a  wise  elective  system  allows  the  individual 
to  move  along  limited  only  by  his  own  powers. 

The  average  age  of  those  entering  college  falls  some- 
where between  eighteen  and  nineteen  years.  Recently  a 
young  man  not  considered  at  all  wonderful  graduated  from 
one  of  the  old  eastern  colleges  at  eighteen,  having  taken 
his  college  course  in  three  years.  He  entered  at  fifteen  from 
a  western  preparatory  school  without  a  condition  and  with 
considerable  advanced  credit  in  modern  languages.      Fur- 


SCHOOL  WASTE  231 

ther,  this  boy  was  not  a  "grind";  he  took  his  work  easily 
and  happily,  joining  in  the  social  life  of  school  and 
college. 

He  does  not  stand  alone.  Every  college  and  school 
conld  cite  instances  in  which  surprising  progress  was  made 
by  individuals  when  the  hide-bound  rules  of  the  system 
were  ignored. 

It  becomes  plain,  then,  that  more  rapid  advancement 
should  regularly  be  made  in  our  schools.  Greater  con- 
servation of  energy  is  necessary ;  perhaps  entirely  new 
methods. 

Removal  of  the  feeble-minded,  the  deaf,  the  physically 
sub-normal,  will  accomplish  something,  but  the  reform  must 
go  deeper,  even  to  the  very  roots  of  the  educational  sys- 
tem. The  problem  must  be  worked  out  in  the  experimental 
laboratory  of  education,  the  schools  themselves,  and  the 
teachers  must  be  the  workers. 

Every  now  and  then  someone  claims  to  have  discovered 
the  full  solution.  Each  of  these  confident  answers  should 
be  carefully  studied,  for  there  will  be  some  grain  of 
sustaining  truth  in  all  of  them. 

The  pupils  of  Maria  Montessori  make  such  progress  as 
puts  our  public  schools  to  blush.  Her  first  success  was 
in  a  "Mind-straightening  School,"  attended  by  feeble- 
minded children  from  the  asylums  of  Rome,  as  well  as  by 
private  pupils  sent  thither  by  their  parents.  For  two  years 
she  was  directress  of  this  institution.  The  claim  is  that 
she  taught  the  children  to  read  and  write  so  that  they  could 
pass  the  same  examinations  that  children  of  their  age  were 
expected  to  pass  in  the  public  schools.  The  secret  she 
explains  herself: 

"It  was  that  the  boys   from  the  asylum  had   followed 


232  THE  TEACHER 

a  different  path  from  that  pursued  in  the  public  schools. 
They  had  been  aided  in  their  psychic  development,  while 
the  normal  children  had  been  hampered  and  depressed.  I 
thought  that  if,  one  day,  the  special  education  which  had 
thus  marvelously  developed  the  idiots  could  be  applied  to 
the  development  of  normal  children,  the  miracle  would 
vanish,  and  the  gulf  between  the  inferior  and  the  normal 
mentality  would  reappear,  never  again  to  be  bridged. 
While  every  one  was  admiring  the  progress  of  my  idiots, 
I  was  meditating  on  the  reasons  that  could  keep  the  happy 
and  healthy  common-school  children  on  so  low  a  level  that 
my  unhappy  pupils  were  able  to  stand  beside  them." 

• 

Then  followed  seven  years'  hard  study  in  experimental 
psychology,  pedagogic  anthropology,  and  careful  investi- 
gation of  methods  followed  in  the  training  of  normal 
children. 

This  is  not  the  place  to  describe  in  detail  her  theory  or 
her  methods.  The  results  prove  that  she  has  at  least  made 
a  stride  forward.  Her  average  Italian  pupil  of  four  learns 
to  write  in  six  weeks,  writing  all  simple  words  and  usually 
beginning  with  ink.  At  the  end  of  about  three  months 
most  of  them  write  well ;  after  six  months  they  equal  the 
children  of  the  third  grade  in  the  public  schools.  The 
son  of  an  Italian  marchesa,  an  American  by  birth,  at  the 
age  of  three  and  a  half  can  read  and  write  both  in  Italian 
and  English.  Most  wonderful  of  all,  there  are,  accord- 
ing to  reports,  no  naughty  children  in  these  schools,  and 
yet  there  are  no  corrections,  no  rewards,  no  punishments. 
Maria  Montessori  claims  that  the  reason  for  this  is  "Be- 
cause they  are  all  doing  what  they  like  to   do.     Ecco !" 

The  son  of  Dr.  Sidis,  of  Harvard  University,  was  looked 
upon  as  a  remarkable  example  of  super-intellectuality.  Dr. 


SCHOOL  WASTE  233 

Sidis  claims  that  the  child  is  only  a  normal  boy ;  that 
thousands  of  others  could  enter  Harvard  at  the  same  age 
if  their  early  training  were  what  it  should  be.  If  this 
statement  is  true,  what  a  commentary  upon  our  educational 
system !  Since  he  believes  it,  what  wonder  that  his  recent 
book  criticizes  with  biting  sarcasm  the  awful  failure  of  our 
vast,  expensive,   and   much  praised  educational   structure? 

Enormous  waste  is  apparent  when  a  comparison  is  made 
between  the  vast  sums  of  money  expended  by  the  nation  for 
public  schools  and  the  relative  few  who  take 
complete  advantage  of  the  education  provided.  School 
A  study  of  public  school  management  made 
recently  by  the  Russell  Sage  Foundation  revealed  that 
only  fifty-five  per  cent  of  our  children  get  above  the  fifth 
grade.  This  means  that  forty-five  per  cent  leave  school 
with  but  the  elementary  knowledge  of  reading  and  writing. 
Further  investigation  showed  that  while  many  leave  for 
the  assigned  reason  that  they  are  needed  as  wage  earners, 
in  a  large  number  of  cases  this  is  not  the  true  cause.  They 
escape  the  school  prison  as  soon  as  they  have  "served  their 
time"  to  the  required  legal  age,  and  sooner,  if  they  or 
their  parents  can  devise  some  means  of  eluding  the  truant 
officers. 

Strange  to  say,  other  investigations  reveal  that  many 
of  these  children  are  later  found  in  evening  schools  study- 
ing practical  branches  or  in  business  colleges  and  trade 
or  technical  schools.  They  turn  their  backs  upon  the  sys- 
tem provided  by  the  state  and  assume  the  responsibility  of 
their  own  education  according  to  their  individual  needs. 

Economically  this  argues  great  waste  when  these  chil- 
dren, in  the  years  when  they  should  be  receiving  the  best 
training  for  the  life  which  is  to  be  theirs,  feel  that  the 
opportunities  do  not  fit  their  needs,  that  they  are  throwing 


234  THE  TEACHER 

away  their  time,  and  that  they  must  get  away  from  it  all. 
If  later  they  seek  this  training  in  the  hours  which  belong 
to  them  for  recreation,  it  proves  that  there  is  an  education 
which  they  need  and  which  they  would  gladly  take. 

Social' conditions  have  changed  to  such  an  extent  that 
many  things   necessary  for  the   full   development   of   chil- 
dren cannot  be  done  by  the  home.     Little  by 

Change  in  .... 

Social  little    responsibilities    that    once    belonged    ex- 

Conditions  r  ° 

clusively  there  have  been  shifted  to  the  school. 
The  first  feeling  of  the  teacher  when  discovering  this 
was  one  of  rebellion,  of  indignation.  Before  allowing  this 
to  become  the  final  attitude,  careful  consideration  is 
desirable. 

The  change  in  our  civilization  is  partly  responsible  for 
these  conditions.  Two  or  three  generations  ago  the 
home,  in  a  natural,  wholesome  way,  gave  its  children  a 
training  in  what  might  be  called  the  occupation  habit. 
There  were  chores  for  the  boys,  wood  to  be  cut  and  brought 
in,  water  to  draw,  fires  to  build,  and,  on  the  farm,  countless 
things  to  be  done  for  the  stock  and  about  the  fields.  The 
girls  cooked,  churned,  and  swept  and  gave  their  leisure 
to  sewing,  spinning,  and  weaving. 

The  last. twenty-five  years  mark  a  decided  change  in  do- 
mestic relations  touching  both  the  rich  and  the  poor.  No 
matter  what  one's  station  in  life,  conditions  are  such  as 
to  take  away  from  the  young  countless  activities  which 
were  once  theirs  by  right  of  their  place  in  the  family. 
The  modern  city  home,  no  matter  how  humble,  leaves  little 
share  for  the  growing  boy  in  active  labor.  Where  the  cook- 
ing is  done  by  gas  and  the  water  drawn  from  a  tap  in  the 
wall,  wood-pile  and  well  vanish. 

In  the  homes  of  the  wealthy,  the  case  is   even  worse : 


SCHOOL  WASTE  235 

everything  is  done  by  servants,  and  the  sole  obligation 
resting  upon  young  people  is  that  of  crowding  into  each 
day  as  much  of  entertainment  and  self-indulgence  as  golf, 
tennis,  yachts,   and  automobiles   make  possible. 

One  by  one  the  responsibilities  in  the  training  of  chil- 
dren have  been  dropped  by  the  home.  Politics,  business, 
or  social  demands  upon  the  wealthy  have  removed  the  chil- 
dren from  the  former  nearness  to  parents,  while  the  need 
for  providing  for  a  family  under  modern  conditions  has 
done  the  same  for  the  poor,  leaving  only  among  the  so- 
called  middle  class  anything  approaching  the  close  parental 
relations  of  our  grandfathers'  households.  Even  these 
homes  have  suffered  decided  modification. 

Many  of  the  things  that  have  been  turned  over  to  the 
school  doubtless  wrill  permanently  remain  there, — probably 
it  is  best  that  they  should. 

It  becomes,  then,  the  duty  of  every  teacher  to  look  the 

educational  situation  fairly  in  the  face,  and  to  recognize  the 

fact  that  in  many  ways  present  methods  have 

outlived   their   usefulness,   have   fallen   far  be-   Toward 

.  .  Conditions 

hind  the  needs  of  the  civilization  of  today. 
Things  cannot  be  changed  as  in  a  twinkling  of  an  eye 
and  we  shall  simply  have  to  do  the  best  we  can  with  con- 
ditions as  they  exist.  To  accomplish  even  this  requires 
constant  study?  constant  self-criticism,  constant  endeavor. 
It  behooves  us  to  treat  with  respect  every  experiment 
of  every  earnest  worker  looking  to  the  betterment  of  con- 
ditions. But  it  is  equally  necessary  not  to  accept  as  pure 
gold  every  glittering  theory  that  is  flashed  triumphantly 
before  us.  No  one  of  them  will  contain  the  whole  truth ;  no 
one  answer  will  ever  be  the  final  one,  for  progress  has  in  it 
no  element  of  permanency.     Little  by  little  what  has  out- 


236  THE  TEACHER 

lived  its  usefulness  will  be  discarded  and  better  methods 
substituted.  Much  has  alread}^  been  accomplished ;  more 
and  more  will  be  done  until  the  schools  satisfy  modern  needs 
and  the  present  waste  is  eliminated. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

HOW  THE  SCHOOLS  ARE  ELIMINAT- 
ING WASTE 

No  business  enterprise  would  consider  itself  successful 
if  large  sums  of  money  were  tied  up  in  plants  that  were 
idle    half   the   hours    of    a    working   day,    and 

°  .  Productive- 

yet,  for  generations  the  public  has  submitted   "ess  of 

.  .  .  .  .  Equipment 

to  such  waste  by  investing  its  millions  in  large 
buildings,  perfect  equipment,  and  spacious  grounds,  and 
making  them  productive  only  about  five  hours  a  day  for 
eight  or  nine,  or,  at  the  most,  ten  months  in  the  year. 

Thinkers  have  at  last  realized  the  Heedlessness  of  such 
waste,  have  awakened  to  the  fact  that  conditions  have 
changed  and  that  schools  are  far  behind  in  the  march  of 
progress. 

As  a  result,  educational  plants  are  working  full  time  in 
most  large  cities  and  are  turning  out  a  larger  product  of 
useful  citizens. 

When  academic  work  was  the  only  thing  attempted  by 
the  schools,  then,   no   doubt,   five  hours   was   a   long,   long 
day    to    children,    too    long    for    the    cramped 
existence    which    school    discipline    demanded.    Lengthened 
With  the  introduction  of  supervised  athletics, 
directed  play,   manual  training,  and  domestic  science,  the 
variety  of  interests  relieves  the  strain  and  allows  the  school 
day  longer  possibilities. 

237 


238  THE  TEACHER 

The  introduction  of  these  activities  has  changed  the  atti- 
tude of  children  toward  school,  and  yet  still  greater  prog- 
ress is  needed.      The  idea  is  too  often  in  the 
?shu°fe  mind  of  the  child  that  school  is  something  to 

be  endured  because  it  is  good  for  him,  because 
he  must  be  prepared  for  life  which  is  supposed  to  begin 
when  eight  or  ten  years  hence  he  gets  out  of  school.  Each 
day  school  work  is  considered  a  necessary  task  to  be  gotten 
through  with  in  some  way,  either  with  credit  or  without,  but 
gotten  through  with  so  the  child  may  have  the  freedom 
to  live  the  rest  of  the  time. 

This  is  all  wrong.  We  have  no  more  right  to  say  that 
the  life  of  the  child  begins  when  he  leaves  school  than  we 
have  to  insist  that  the  life  of  a  plant  begins  when  it  first 
bursts  into  bloom. 

In  a  properly  conducted  school  a  child  should  be  hap- 
pier than  he  could  be  anywhere  else.  Ideally,  the  condi- 
tions are  made  for  him  and  he  is  pursuing  his  own  deepest 
interests  with  children  of  his  own  age  whose  interests  are 
common  with  his,  and  the  teacher  is  there,  like  a  special 
Providence,  to  see  that  those  conditions  are  kept  right  for 
him. 

Is  this  an  honest  picture  of  our  schools  today? 

Someone  has  remarked,  perhaps  facetiously,  that  the 
ambition  of  the  educational  system  of  France 
ismIVldUal"  was  that  each  child  shall  be  giving  the  same 
answer  to  the  same  question  at  the  same  time 
all  over  the  country.  The  American  educational  system 
might  have  been  originally  modelled  upon  a  similar  plan. 
It  struggled  for  uniformity,  for  clear-cut  grading,  for 
the  fixing  of  hard  and  fast  boundaries  between  classes,  for 
promotion  of  all  by  the  same  test.  If  this  pupil  was 
exceptionally   bright,   the   brick    of    suppression    was    put 


ELIMINATING  WASTE  239 

upon  his  head  to  keep  him  down  to  the  average  of  the  class 
to  which  some  higher  authority  (Heaven  only  knows  by 
what  sacred  laying  on  of  hands  he  gained  the  right)  had 
committed  him.  If  he  was  dull  or  slow,  he  was  dragged, 
like  a  Cook's  tourist  at  the  hand  of  his  guide,  past  the 
educational  wonders  which  he  scarcely  saw. 

The  day  for  that  kind  of  thing  is  rapidly  passing  and  we 
are  learning  that  there  are  as  many  different  types  of 
children  as  there  are  individuals ;  that  an  accurate  classi- 
fication would  really  put  but  one  pupil  in  each  type. 

The  unit  of  our  present  school  organization  is  the 
class ;  the  unit  of  the  new  education  must  be  the  individual. 
The  old  method  stands  for  uniformity,  not  always  even 
for  unity ;  identity  rather  than  symmetry ;  a  narrowed 
view,  not  a  connected  view.  The  individual  has  been  lost 
sight  of  and  the  boys  and  girls  have  been  treated  as 
though  they  existed  for  the  schools,  not  the  schools  for 
them. 

The  kindergarten  took  the  first  step  toward  emancipa- 
tion. It  taught  the  rights  of  the  individual  and  the  de- 
sirability of  allowing  the  child  to  grow  and  develop  accord- 
ing to  his  own  peculiar  characteristics,  in  a  natural, 
unconscious  way. 

The  spirit  of  the  kindergarten  is  right,  although  it 
cannot  be  too  emphatically  stated  that  much  of  the  prac- 
tice of  the  kindergarten  is  wrong.  This  is  not  the  fault 
of  the  theory  but  of  the  number  of  incompetent  people 
who  go  into  the  work.  Natural  development  to  them  too 
often  means  unrestrained  and  undirected  action ;  the  will 
of  the  child  is  allowed  to  lead;  he  is  entertained  and 
amused ;  his  desires  and  whims  never '  thwarted.  Such 
teachers,  as  was  said  before,  fail  to  discriminate  between 
the  will  of  the  child  and  the  nature  of  the  child. 


240  THE  TEACHER 

Yet,  in  spite  of  all  its  abuses,  the  fact  still  remains  that 
the  fundamental  idea  of  the  kindergarten  is  right.  De- 
pending upon  the  play  instinct,  the  child  is  kept  constantly 
interested.  He  does  not  go  to  school  "like  a  quarry  slave 
scourged  to  his  dungeon,"  but  the  kindergarten,  even 
though  it  be  a  poor  one,  becomes  the  center  of  his  daily 
life.  He  looks  forward  to  it  with  eagerness  in  the  morn- 
ing, he  enjoys  every  moment  of  the  session,  and  he  plays 
kindergarten  all  the  afternoon. 

What  the  kindergartners  call  the  play  instinct,  is,  in  a 
broader  sense,  an   activity  interest.      Every   child  is  filled 
with  it,  bubbling  over  with   it.     The  mother 
interest  a^  nome  *s  haunted  with  the  question,  "What 

can  I  doV  The  too  frequent  answer  is,  "Run 
away  and  don't  bother  me."  The  general  practice  of 
the  schools  is  to  suppress  this  interest  and  subdue  it  to 
passivity. 

In  the  kindergarten  this  activity  interest  is  not  wasted 
but  is  turned  to  good  educational  account.  The  so-called 
connecting  class  carries  it  over  into  the  first  grade, 
and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  this  same  vitalizing  activity 
interest  holds,  with  reasonable  power,  through  the  third 
grade. 

There  is  a  recognized  break  at  the  beginning  of  the 
fourth  year.  Here  restlessness,  idleness,  the  pull  of  out- 
side interest,  truancy,  and  other  troubles  begin.  The  eager- 
ness for  school  abates,  and  from  there  on  through  the 
eighth  grade  the  problem  is  a  serious  one.  Formalism  is 
intensified  here,  and  we  are  still  hampered  by  the  idea  that 
the  children  must  be  fitted  intellectually  into  a  certain  mold 
which  the  system  "prescribes.  Order  takes  precedence  of 
interest ;  activity  must  be  suppressed  for  the  sake  of  quiet. 
The  marked  individuality  of  the  child  here  is  less  evident. 


ELIMINATING  WASTE  Ml 

He  becomes  self-conscious,  loses  confidence  in  himself,  and 
so  grows  restive  and  dissatisfied  with  school. 

This  is  the  fault  of  the  schools.  They  are  wasting  and 
have  been  wasting  for  years  golden  opportunities  for  full 
and   complete   development    of  the   individual  child. 

Under  present  conditions  the  child  is  pulling  and  strug- 
gling against  the  will  of  the  home  and  the  authority  of 
the  school  which  is  driving  him  whither  he  would  not  go ; 
driving  him  against  the  call  of  his  own  nature  which  he 
hears  plainer  than  they  do. 

There  is  but  one  solution  to  the  problem ;  let  all  who 
deal  with  young  people  learn  to  listen  to  the  nature  of  the 
individual  child,  and  by  that  is  meant  the  nature  of  the 
child,  not  merely  his  will  or  whim.  Having  recognized  it, 
help  him  to  follow  its  dictates. 

This  means  individualism,  increased,  intensified  individu- 
alism. It  means  humanizing  every  step  of  the  work.  It 
means  making  school  a  place  to  which  the  children  will 
come  gladly?  eagerly,  because  here  they  are  happiest,  here 
they  can  follow  the  dictates  of  their  natures,  here  live, — 
live  freely,  joyously,  every  day. 

Teachers  must  cease  to  be  task-masters :  thev  must  be- 
come  leaders.  They  must  remember  that  the  person  who 
drives  usually  goes  behind,  and  that  is  exactly  where  he 
belongs. 

The   universal   acceptance   of  manual   training   and   do- 
mestic  science   as   a   necessary   part   of  school   training   is 
the  present  general  way  of  supplying  a  valu- 
able and  practical  application  of  this  activity   Traa"ning 
interest.      There   is  no  need  here   of  entering 
into   any  discussion    of  this   branch   of   education,   for   its 
importance  and  its  educational  value  are  very  clearly  pres- 
ent in  the  minds  of  all  teachers. 


242  THE  TEACHER 

There  are  some  dangers  connected  with  it,  as  there  are 
with  all  good  things,  and  it  may  be  well  to  call  attention 
to  them. 

It  is  much  easier  to  use  the  hands  than  to  use  the  brain. 
Mental  tenseness  necessary  to  producing  results  is  weary- 
ing and  peculiarly  distasteful  to  the  untrained  mind. 
Manual  training  offers  an  easy  escape  from  mental  strain. 
To  plan  all  this  work  so  as  to  demand  constant  mental  activ- 
ity is  the  part  of  those  in  charge  of  this  branch.  In  a 
shop,  where  the  getting  of  a  finished  product  as  quickly  as 
possible  for  the  sake  of  the  compensating  wage  is  desirable, 
it  may  be  wise  to  acquire  imitative  manual  facility.  That 
is  not  enough  in  an  educational  institution.  The  child 
must  gain  in  the  shops  and  in  the  domestic  science  depart- 
ment a  certain  power  which  will  enable  him  to  go  on  inde- 
pendently to  new  and  different,  although  allied  activities. 
The  brain  must  be  trained  to  guide  the  hand.  It  is  not 
enough  to  make  of  the  hand  a  facile  instrument  guided 
by  some  intelligence  outside  the  personality  to  whom  the 
hand  belongs. 

Mechanical  drawing,  which  underlies  so  much  of  man- 
ual training,  must  be  something  more  than  preparing 
beautiful  looking  plates  which  are  nothing  more  or  less 
than  copies  of  other  beautiful  plates.  The  student  must 
be  trained  to  visualize,  to  see  in  his  flat  drawing,  the  solid 
object  of  which  this  is  a  projection.  He  should  be  able 
to  trace  each  line  to  its  proper  place  in  the  figure  of  three 
dimensions  and  know  the  reasons  for  it. 

Miss  Louise  Brigham,  the  originator  of  box  furniture, 
furniture  made  from  the  boxes  that  can  be  found  piled 
outside  of  any  store,  lives,  from  choice,  in  a  small  apart- 
ment opposite  Hell  Gate,  in  New  York  City.     She  is  much 


ELIMINATING  WASTE  243 

interested  in  the  life  of  the  community  in  which  she  lives 
and  is  a  real  part  of  it.  Opposite  her  home  is  one  of 
New  York's  breathing  places,  a  large  park.  She  obtained 
permission  from  the  authorities  to  open  a  shop  in  an  old 
house  standing  in  this  park.  With  the  assistance  of  philan- 
thropic individuals,  she  equipped  twenty  woodworking 
benches  and  invited  the  boys  of  the  neighborhood  to  use 
them  under  her  direction. 

Applicants  were  many  and  the  early  arrivals  had  the 
benches,  the  others  waiting  around  until  they  could  catch 
a  vacancy. 

The  lumber  from  these  boxes  is  not  of  prime  quality. 
It  has  knots  and  nails  and  nail-holes ;  it  is  often  split  and 
is  not  always  of  the  most  convenient  lengths.  But  the 
boys  attack  it  and  the  finished  product  shows  none  of  the 
original  imperfections. 

In  this  work  Miss  Brigham  encountered  a  peculiar  con- 
dition. The  boys  who  had  never  had  any  manual  training 
in  the  public  schools  were  the  persevering,  careful  workers. 
Most  of  those  who  had  had  any  bench-work  in  the  public 
schools  fell  by  the  wayside  early.  They  were  so  annoyed 
by  the  difficulties  presented  by  the  poor  grade  material  that 
they  gave  up  in  despair.  They  were  used  to  selected  lum- 
ber of  convenient  length ;  they  wanted  only  the  luxury  of 
manual  labor. 

There  may  be  a  suggestion  here  worth  considering.  Is 
manual^  training  following  the  weaknesses  of  modern  civili- 
zation and  making  everything  easy?  The  purpose  of  it 
all  should,  like  every  other  branch  of  education,  be  tested 
by  the  gain  in  power, — power  to  use  the  brain  on  practical 
problems,  power  to  overcome  difficulties,  the  moral  power  to 
stick  to  a  thing  until  it  is  accomplished.     The  aim  of  man- 


244  THE  TEACHER 

ual  training  is  not  the  getting  of  a  finished  product,  but  the 
education  of  mind  and  hand,  as  well  as  a  training  in 
character. 

By  giving  to  young  people  the  things  which  they  should 

have,  many  who  now  leave  school  early  in  the  grades  might 

Technical         ^e  kept  longer  and  sent  out  well  trained  men- 

Schoois  tally  for  the  life  which  is  theirs  naturally  in 

the  social  economy. 

Several  cities  have  attempted  to  meet  a  part  of  the 
difficulty  through  technical  high  schools.  Cleveland  was 
one  of  the  pioneers  and,  as  conditions  in  that  city  are  prob- 
ably about  what  they  are  in  other  manufacturing  places, 
it  will  serve  as  an  example  of  the  movement  in  this 
direction. 

The  committee  appointed  to  examine  carefully  the  gov- 
ernment, supervision,  and  course  of  study  of  the  Cleveland 
public  schools  and  make  suggestions,  learned  that  one-half 
the  students  left  school  at  the  end  of  the  sixth  year. 
They  discovered  the  appalling  mortality  between  the  eighth 
and  ninth  years ;  they  noted  the  high  percentage  of  fail- 
ures in  academic  work  of  those  who  survived  for  the  ninth 
year,  and  saw  that  of  the  total  number  who  enter  the  high 
school,  a  majority  fall  b}^  the  wayside  before  the  end  of 
the  second  year. 

The  original  plan  was  to  establish  a  Manual  Training 
High  School  similar  to  others  already  in  existence.  But 
the  committee,  going  at  its  work  intelligently  and  earnestly, 
soon  found  that  conditions  demanded  something  more.  For 
this  reason,  even  the  name  was  changed  and  the  result 
stands  today  as  the  Technical  High  School. 

It  is  planned  especially  to  meet  the  needs  of  both  boys 
and  girls  who  expect  to  end  their  formal  education  here, 
and   so   is   emancipated   from   the   tyrannical   rules    of  the 


ELIMINATING  WASTE  245 

colleges.  It  is  free  and  independent;  may  "do  whatever  it 
pleases  in  whatever  way  it  pleases ;  is  bound  by  no  conven- 
tions; has  but  one  aim,  and  that  is  the  rendering  of  the  best 
service  to  a  large  class  of  young  people  whose  vital  needs 
the  high  schools  have  practically  ignored. 

For  the  first  two  years  it  follows  somewhat  closely  the 
ordinary  work  of  a  manual  training  school,  with  some 
modifications  of  academic  work.  The  last  two  years  it  is 
practically  a  trade  school.  It  is  located  on  the  edge  of  a 
great  manufacturing  district  and  is  well  equipped  in  a 
building  planned  especially  for  the  purpose. 

There  are  the  usual  accommodations  found  in  any  manual 
training  high  school,  including  class-rooms,  laboratories 
for  chemistry  and  physics,  exceptional  athletic  equipment, 
including  gymnasium,  running  track,  showers,  and  locker- 
rooms.  There  are  wood-working  rooms  for  joinery,  turn- 
ing, cabinet-making  and  pattern-making,  a  well-equipped 
machine  shop,  a  foundry  provided  with  cupola  for  melting 
iron,  and  a  brass  foundry.  The  drafting  rooms  are  so 
located  as  to  be  convenient  to  the  shops.  There  is  also  a 
lunch-room  with  kitchen  and  serving-rooms. 

The  department  for  girls  has  for  its  basis  domestic  and 
industrial  arts,  and  around  these  studies  the  rest  of  the 
work  is  grouped.  The  course  in  cooking  covers  the  prepa- 
ration and  analvsis  of  foods,  the  studv  of  food  values,  the 
preparation  and  serving  of  complete  meals.  There  are 
courses  in  home  planning  and  house  decoration,  including 
the  study  of  furniture,  pictures,  draperies,  and  ornament. 
These  are  conducted  with  especial  reference  to  economy  and 
good  taste.  A  course  in  home  nursing  includes  first  aid  to 
the  injured  and  care  of  invalids  and  children.  Keeping  of 
household  accounts,  economic  home  management,  and  mar- 
keting also  receive  attention.     In  fact,  these  courses  point 


246  THE  TEACHER 

to  the  end  when  a  girl  has  forced  upon  her  the  care  of 
home  and  family,  in  the  hope  of  giving  her  some  intelligent 
preparation  for  these  duties. 

The  board  was  peculiarly  audacious  in  choosing  teachers 
for  this  school.  They  did  not  demand  college  degrees, 
experience  in  teaching,  or  typewritten  copies 
Teachers*  °f  letters  of  recommendation.     For  each  posi- 

tion they  sought  the  man  or  woman  whom  they 
thought  would  deal  most  intelligently,  most  forcefully, 
most  humanly,  with  the  problem.  They  cared  nothing  for 
previous  state  of  servitude,  but  they  cared  for  the  bigness 
of  the  individual. 

For  instance,  they  secured  an  expert  chemist  from  some 
large  manufacturing  plant.  He  had  never  taught  a  day 
in  his  life,  but  he  taught  chemistry  there  with  a  force  and 
enthusiasm  that  was  contagious.  One  man  whose  son  took 
the  course  said :  "My  boy  works  all  day  in  school,  but  that 
isn't  enough,  so  he  has  a  laboratory  at  home.  He  may 
blow  the  house  up  before  he  gets  through,  but  he's  learning 
chemistry." 

This  technical  High  School  opened  with  800  pupils. 
The  six  academic  high  schools  in  the  city  showed  a  total 
decrease  in  enrollment  of  only  47,  which  meant 
Attendance  an  mcrease  of  over  700  in  the  high  school  popu- 
lation. A  part  of  this  may  be  accounted  for 
by  the  natural  growth  of  the  city,  but  not  all  of  it. 

Another  attempt  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  individual  has 

been  made  through  the  opening  of  commercial  high  schools, 

in  the  hope  of  giving  to  those  expecting-  to 
Commercial  A  °  .  , r   .    .    °    . 

High  take  up   omce   work   some   definite   training  m 

things    they   will    need   to   know.      These    put 

more  stress  upon  teaching  a  would-be  stenographer  to  spell 

correctly  than  in   giving  her  instruction   in  the  chemistry 


ELIMINATING  WASTE  247 

of  foods.  They  see  to  it  that  the  future  bookkeeper  can 
add  a  column  of  figures  twice  with  the  same  result,  even 
if  she  has  not  a  scientific  knowledge  of  the  different  kinds 
of  levers. 

The  movement  is  an  interesting  one  and  meets  the  ap- 
proval of  a  large  class  of  educators.     On  the  other  hand, 
however,    stands    a    considerable    number   who, 
while  they  have  no  quarrel  with  the  methods  in    Against 
any  of  these  schools  and  believe  in  the  adapta- 
tion of  the  work  to  the  individual,  yet  seriously  question 
the  advisability  of  thus  segregating  these  various  interests. 
They   hold  that  the  results  would   be  much  better,   much 
stronger,  more  far-reaching,  if  high  schools  were  divided 
geographically,  and  this  special  work  done  in  departments. 
They  point  out  the  danger  of  confusing  the  mechanical 
learning   of   a   trade   with    education,   which   should   mean 
the  highest  training  for  mind,  body,  and  soul. 

Colleges   were   the   first   to    discover   that   there   was   no 
reason  why  their  doors  should  be  closed  three  months  each 
year.     Summer  schools  followed,  and  the  Uni- 
versity of  Chicago  set  the  excellent  example  of    Lengthened 

Year 

an  unbroken  year  with  four  terms  of  equal 
value,  the  student  being  allowed  to  attend  such  of  them  as 
best  suited  his  convenience,  or  all  of  them  if  he  desired. 
For  those  who  are  working  their  way,  the  plan  is  most 
practical,  for  almost  any  other  time  is  better  than  the 
summer  for  earning  money. 

Simultaneously  with  the  lengthened  year  of  the  college, 
there  sprang  up  all  over  the  country  summer  camps,  all  of 
which    provide    some    opportunity    for    study. 
It   was   discovered   that   the   young  mind   was   fcn^r 
far    better    off    for    having    some    systematic, 
supervised   mental    activity    during   the    summer    vacation. 


248  THE  TEACHER 

Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  and  other 
states  have  established  these  camps  in  their  most  charming 
spots,  and  through  them  much  energy  and  valuable  time 
that  formerly  went  to  waste,  is  conserved  to  the  general 
good  of  the  community. 

Following  close  upon  this  has  come  the  opening  of  sum- 
mer schools  in  important  centers  of  the  larger  cities. 

The  question  is  now  prominent  in  the  minds  of  educators 
as  to  the  wisdom  of  abolishing  entirely  the  long  summer 
vacation.  Is  there  any  reason  for  its  existence  in  modern 
civilization?  Is  it  not  merely  a  survival  of  a  custom  that 
had  a  reason  for  being  when  it  was  instituted,  because 
the  assistance  of  even  the  children  was  necessary  to  the 
maintenance  of  the  home  in  the  pioneer  days,  when  the 
living  of  the  family  had  to  be  forced  out  of  the  soil  by 
manual  labor? 

A  change  to  a  year  of  four  quarters  with  a  week's  vaca- 
tion between  each  two  would  make  the  public  school  equip- 
ment much  more  productive. 

The  public  playground  movement  has  thrown  open  the 
school  grounds  to  the  children  and  the  buildings  are  being 
used  for  summer  sessions  of  real  school,  modi- 
Grounds  fi^  somewhat  by  temperature,  but  nevertheless 
real  school.  To  be  sure,  this  has  resulted  in 
the  trampling  down  of  some  "Keep  off  the  grass"  signs, 
and  the  demolishing  of  ornamental  school  lawns,  but  the 
by-product  is  visible  in  happy,  healthy  children. 

Originally  these  movements  were  in  the  slums  and  for 
the  children  of  the  very  poor,  to  the  utter  forgetting  of 
the  suffering,  neglected  children  of  the  well-to-do.  But 
even  they  are  now  coming  in  for  their  share  of  attention. 
Recently,  in  a  very  prosperous  neighborhood,  a  woman  of 


ELIMINATING  WASTE  249 

wealth  bought  and  turned  over  to  the  management  of  a 
church  a  large  lot  to  be  used  as  a  playground  for  the 
children   of  the  neighborhood. 

It  is  only  a  few  years  since  evening  schools  were  occa- 
sional and  unusual.     Today  they  are  a  recognized  part  of 
the  definite  system  of  all  advanced  city  schools.     Once  their 
instruction  was  limited  to  the  simplest  elemen- 
tary education,  and  attended  largely  by   for-   fchoo"s9 
eigners  learning  the  language. 

Perhaps  no  better  idea  of  what  is  being  done  in  the 
evening  schools  at  present  can  be  given  than  in  quoting 
from  the  report  of  a  superintendent  of  schools  in  a  city  of 
500,000  inhabitants. 

"Special    attention    is    given    to    foreigners    of    various 
nationalities  who  wish  to  learn  to  read,  write,  and  speak  the 
English  language.     Teachers  who  are  conversant  with  both 
languages  are  engaged  for  classes   of  Arme- 
nians, Bohemians,  Germans,  Greeks,  Hebrews,    students 
Hungarians,  Italians,  and  Poles. 

"The  subjects  taught  in  the  elementary  schools  are  read- 
ing, writing,  arithmetic,  spelling,  history,  geography,  Eng- 
lish grammar,  and  composition  as  applied  to 
letter  writing.  f^ftf 

"In  the  high  schools,  courses  are  offered  in 
English,  French,  German,  Latin,  and  Spanish,  bookkeep- 
ing, commercial  law,  stenography,  typewriting,  mechan- 
ical and  architectural- draughting,  gas  engine  construction, 
blueprint  reading,  algebra,  arithmetic,  geometry,  trigo- 
nometry, workshop  calculations,  carpentry,  cabinet-making, 
forge  work,  pattern  making,  wood  turning,  machine  shop 
practice,  physics,  chemistry,  cooking,  sewing,  dressmaking, 
penmanship,  letter  writing,  spelling,  geography,  and  civil- 


250  THE  TEACHER 

service  preparation.     Besides  these  branches,  swimming  and 

gymnastic  classes  are  open  to  both  sexes  in  the  several  school 

gymnasiums. 

"  In  many  cities  the  school  buildings  have  been  opened  in 

the  evening  as  social  centers.     This  has  been  done  for  the 

_  ,  benefit  of  the  young  people  in  the  neighbor- 

Schools  as  j         &   sr     r  & 

Social  hood  who  are  no  longer  in  school.     One  school 

Centers  & 

may  stand  as  a  type  of  the  best  work  done  in 
this  direction. 

"The  Center  was  open  five  nights  a  week.     The  Boys' 
Department  had  the  use  of  the  building  on  Monday  and 
Wednesday  evenings,  the  Girls'  Department  on 
Classes  Tuesday  and  Thursday  evenings,  and  on  Sat- 

urday evenings  the  boys  and  girls  alternated 
in  the  use  of  the  building.  In  the  Boys'  Department 
classes  were  successfully  conducted  during  the  winter  in 
carpentry,  mechanical  drawing,  hammered  brass,  and  gym- 
nastics. A  basket-ball  team,  two  debating  clubs,  and  a 
branch  of  the  Boy  Scouts  were  organized  and  became 
largely  self-directing.  In  the  Girls'  Department,  classes 
in  millinery,  domestic  science,  gymnastics,  and  folk  dancing 
offered  a  line  of  work  which  proved  most  attractive.  New- 
comb,  volley  ball  and  basket-ball  teams  were  organized,  and 
these,  together  with  a  large  chorus  and  two  self -directing 
literary  clubs,  furnished  recreation  for  the  girls.  Especial 
mention  should  be  made  of  the  classes  in  domestic  science, 
which  were  an  unqualified  success. 

"Saturday  night  was  devoted  to  social  purposes,  and 
everything  was  done  to  give  the  boys  and  girls  a  pleasant 
time,  although  they  came  on  separate  evenings.  A  dancing 
lesson  was  given  every  Saturday  night  from  7  until  8, 
and  although  the  boys  had  to  dance  together,  as  did  the 
girls,    considerable    proficiency    was    attained.      After    the 


ELIMINATING  WASTE  251 

dancing  was  over  an  entertainment  lasting  about  an  hour 
and  consisting  usually  of  a  concert,  a  stereopticon  travel- 
talk,  recitations,  or  a  party  of  some  kind,  was  given." 

In  addition,  the  possibility  of  using  the  buildings  for 
the  improvement  and  pleasure  of  the  parents  of  the  vicinity 
occurred  to  someone  else,  and  lectures,  entertainments, 
and  social  gatherings  have  been  instituted.  Much  of  this 
activity  has  originated  with  the  women's  clubs  interested 
in  civic  improvement.  They  have  taken  the  responsibility 
of  the  programmes  and  have  enlisted  many  public-spirited 
people  in  the  movement.  In  all  this  the  teachers  have 
cooperated. 

Realizing   that   a   sound   mind,   to   reach   full   efficiency, 

must  dwell  in  a  sound  body,  the  schools  have  assumed  much 

of  the  phvsical  responsibilitv   of  its   children. 

^         i  •      j       mi  {•        i  u  Physical 

Kegular,    supervised    athletics    have    become   care  of 

so  definitely  a  part  of  all  school  life  today  that 

this  branch  of  the  physical  training  of  children  needs  no 

elaboration  here,  but  some  special  phases  of  the  subject  are 

worthy  of  attention. 

Here  and  there  certain  schools  have  succeeded  in  getting 
medical  inspection ;  others  have  trained  nurses  who  care 
for  the  health  of  the  children.  Through  these,  contagious 
diseases  are  quickly  discovered,  isolated,  and  means  taken 
to  prevent  their  spread.  Some  have  established  school 
clinics,  others  use  the  free  hospitals  where  simple  opera- 
tions, such  as  removal  of  tonsils  and  adenoids,  are  per- 
formed, and  many  simple  ailments  treated  and  cured. 

The  introduction  of  baths  in  school  buildings  makes  for 
the  habit  of  cleanliness,  and  so  for  improved  health. 

The  eyes  are  given  careful  attention,  and  many  a  child 
once  considered  stupid  has  proved  only  near-sighted  or  a 
victim  of  astigmatism 


252  THE  TEACHER 

The  teeth  are  watched  and  their  condition  brought  to 
the  attention  of  parents,  to  be  looked  after  through  the 
home,  if  the  home  can  afford  it ;  if  not,  the  school  takes 
care  of  the  matter  through  its  dental  clinic. 

Proper  feeding  is  another  essential,  and  the  furnishing 
of  wholesome,  nourishing  luncheons  at  a  very  low  price 
is  another  feature  of  modern  education. 

In  these  and  in  other  ways  of  looking  after  the  body, 
the  schools  are  trying  to  watch  the  interests  of  the  normal 
child,  and  energy  and  intellectual  power  once  wasted  are 
now  conserved  to  a  lifting  of  the  general  average,  to  the 
bringing  of  the  schools  to  a  higher  degree  of  efficiency. 

The  tendency  of  every  reform,  no  matter  how  desirable 

the  reform  may  be,  is  to  go  too  far.     This  has  been  the 

history  of  nearly  every  movement  recorded  in 

opposition       history. 

When  we  contemplate  the  responsibility  al- 
ready assumed  by  the  schools,  when  we  read  the  articles 
advocating  further  assumption  of  responsibility,  we  are 
constrained  to  ask,  where  shall  we  stop?  All  the  things 
done  are  desirable.  Most  of  them  the  homes  will  not  attend 
to.  Shall  the  schools  assume  these  responsibilities?  If  not 
all  of  them,  then  where  shall  the  line  be  drawn? 

Already  there  has  arisen  a  party  or  a  faction  in  opposi- 
tion to  medical  inspection,  to  too  much  paternalism  on  the 
part  of  the  schools.  This  is  bound  to  grow  stronger,  for 
practically  all  such  reforms  encounter  opposition.  These 
progressive  changes  in  our  schools  are  now  encountering 
that  opposition.  There  will  be  more  of  it,  and  the  effect 
will  be  restraining  and  clarifying.  Communities  will  select 
the  things  that  are  desirable  for  the  schools  to  do ;  the 
opposition  will  strengthen  determination  to  carry  these 
desirable  things  to  fulfillment,  and  it  will,  at  the  same  time, 


ELIMINATING  WASTE  253 

protect  us  from  going  to  the  extreme  in  our  search  for 
the  best. 

The  teachers  are  in  the  practical  laboratory  where  these 
attempts  at  reform  are  being  tried  out.  They  are  the 
experts  who  must  decide  which  of  these  experiments  will 
stand  the  test  of  practical  application,  which  are  reason- 
able and  in  harmony  with  the  preservation  of  the  home  and 
its  responsibilities. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

SPECIAL  SCHOOLS 

The  assumption  of  the  school  system  is  that  every  child 
is  normal  or  by  wise  corrective  measures  can  be  restored 
to  the  normal.  But  outside  the  reach  of  the  ordinary  care 
of  medical  inspection  and  regular  athletics,  outside  the 
assistance  of  proper  feeding  and  clothing,  beyond  the  aid 
of  ordinary  teaching  methods,  is  a  large  class  of  children 
still  unconsidered. 

The  circle  of  their  lives  is  narrowed  by  some  physical 
or  mental  limitation.  But  they  are,  nevertheless,  entitled 
to  the  fullest  development  of  which  their  proscribed  natures 
are  capable. 

The  old  system  paid  no  attention  to  this  class,  but  scat- 
tered the  individuals  wherever  they  seemed  to  belong,  either 
according  to  age  or  size,  to  the  further  stunting  of  the 
already  dwarfed  natures  and  to  the  serious  detriment  of  the 
normal  children. 

We  are  learning  not  to  expect  the  child  with  imperfect 
eyes  to  have  the  same  efficiency  as  the  child  with  unimpaired 
vision ;  that  the  deaf  or  the  semi-deaf  cannot  compete  on 
equal  terms  with  those  possessed  of  sharp  hearing;  that 
the  healthy  child  can  outrun  the  sickly  in  the  intellectual 
race  as  well  as  on  the  athletic  field. 

The  thinking  world  is  taking  account  of  all  these  factors 
and  forcing  them  upon  the  practical  consideration  of  the 
schools.     The  deaf,  the  dumb,  the  blind,  the  tuberculous, 

254 


SPECIAL  SCHOOLS  255 

the  crippled,  are  put  into  schools  of  their  own,  where  their 
infirmities  are  considered  and  teaching  given  especially 
adapted  to  them.  Here,  instead  of  dragging  along,  hope- 
less and  despairing,  far  in  the  rear  of  those  who  have  no 
such  handicap,  they  are  moving  happily  ahead  in  lines  of 
their  own  toward  their  fullest  possible  development. 

Windows  have  been  thrown  wide  to  the  sunshine  and  the 
air.  Open-air  schools  have  been  tried  with  wonderful 
results  in  increased  mental  activity  and  corresponding 
attainment.  Schools  for  the  mentally  deficient  have  come 
to  stay. 

The  special  schools  are  accomplishing  two  things :  first, 
the  fuller  development  of  the  sub-normal  children ;  second, 
the  more  rapid  advancement  of  the  others  by  the  removal 
of  this  drag  upon  them. 

Total  deafness  or  even  imperfect  hearing  makes  it 
impossible  for  the  child  thus  afflicted  to  work  to  advantage 
under  the  same  conditions  as  those  who  hear   _    ,  „  . 

Oral  Schools 

acutelv-      For   some  time   the   needs   of   these   £°r  the 

Deaf 

children  for  special  attention  have  been  heeded. 

In  1899  the  legislature  of  Michigan  passed  an  act  pro- 
viding for  the  establishment  and  maintenance  throughout 
the  state  of  schools  for  the  training  of  deaf  children.  Such 
schools  as  have  been  established,  notablv  those  in  Detroit 
and  Grand  Rapids,  are  oral  schools,  training  the  children 
to  speech  and  to  lip  reading.  Approximately  the  work  runs 
parallel  with  the  elementary  schools,  although  the  chief 
aim  of  these  schools  is  to  give  the  children  such  practical 
training  as  will  serve  them  in  earning  their  living  and 
becoming   self-supporting. 

Many  of  these  children  do  not  continue  in  school  even  to 
the  eighth  grade,  but  up  to  that  time  they  are  given  special 
work  in  English  and  all  elementary  branches  taught  from 


256  THE  TEACHER 

the  practical  standpoint.  To  this  is  added  a  liberal  amount 
of  manual  training  to  assist  them  in  becoming  reasonably 
independent  in  earning  a  living. 

A  few  even  continue  on  into  the  high  school.  Here 
they  enter  regular  classes  and  find  themselves  able  to  be 
treated  as  the  other  young  people  are  treated,  using  their 
acquired  speech  and  lip  reading  very  successfully.  Two  or 
three  such  students  have  already  been  graduated  from  the 
Central  High  School  in  Detroit,  doing  all  their  work  in 
regular  classes. 

As  the  number  of  deaf  children  in  a  community  is  small, 
these  are  gathered  from  all  parts  of  the  city.  Coming  from 
such  distance,  provision  for  the  mid-day  meal  becomes 
imperative.  Those  interested  in  this  branch  of  education 
consider  that  a  luncheon,  properly  served,  no  matter  how 
simple,  is  of  great  importance.  As  the  final  purpose  of  the 
school  is  the  fullest  development  of  the  children,  not  merely 
drill  in  the  purely  intellectual  range  of  thought,  the  train- 
ing in  good  table  manners  becomes  more  than  desirable. 
That  is  especially  true  of  those  children  whose  limitations 
in  one  of  their  senses  makes  it  more  difficult  to  get  this 
kind  of  education  naturally  and  unconsciously,  as  other 
children  do. 

There  are  not  yet  many  special  schools  for  the  deaf 
attached  to  the  public  school  system,  but  their  introduc- 
tion marks  one  more  direction  in  the  care  of  the  exceptional 
child  at  the  present  occupying  so  much  serious  thought. 

In  a  city  where  the  care  of  exceptional  children  has  been 

given  close  attention,  a  school  for  crippled  children  has  been 

in  existence  two  years.     At  first  it  was  held 
School  for  «    -i  •         i         •  • 

crippled  but  for  a  half-day  session,  but  its  success  in  the 

Children 

improvement   and   happiness    of  the   children, 
soon  warranted  a  full-day  session. 


SPECIAL  SCHOOLS  257 

The  children  are  transported  to  and  from  this  school,  in 
carriages  or  automobiles,  and  an  outside  elevator  takes 
them  to  the  school-room,  where  the  day  is  planned  espe- 
cially for  their  needs. 

Particular  attention  is  paid  to  hand  work,  this  being 
adapted  to  the  peculiar  infirmity  of  each  child.  The  branch 
in  which  he  is  likely  to  become  most  proficient  is  selected, 
for  all  this  looks  to  the  possible  earning  power  of  the 
individual  later. 

The  physical  welfare  is  carefully  looked  after.  Milk 
and  biscuits  are  served  at  ten  o'clock  and  a  warm  luncheon 
at  noon,  followed  by  half  an  hour's  recreation.  After  this, 
they  are  given  half  an  hour's  rest  in  reclining  chairs  before 
the  school  work  is  resumed  for  the  afternoon. 

To  assist  the  teacher  in  the  unusual  care  of  the  disabled, 
a  nurse  is  provided.  She  prepares  the  luncheon,  serves  the 
morning  milk  and  biscuits,  and  assists  the  children  in  and 
out  of  the  building. 

The  added  outdoor  life  furnished  by  the  rides  to  and 
from  school,  the  cheerful  association  with  other  children 
and  with  teacher  and  nurse,  and  the  interesting  occupation, 
all  combine  for  decided  improvement  in  the  health  of  the 
children. 

The  great  influx  of  foreigners  has  long  been  a  vexing 
problem  in  the  larger  cities.  Ordinarily  it  has  been  met 
by    placing;    these    strangers    in    the    primary    „ 

J      r  to  ....  .  Schools  for 

grades,  where  the  English  is  within  their  reach,    £?r?j9n 
&      m       '  &  ,  Children 

until  they  become  sufficiently  proficient  to  con- 
tinue in  the  grade  where  they  belong  intellectually.  By  this 
method  they  accept  the  fate  of  the  primary  grade  and  learn 
as  a  little  child  learns.  There  is  not  much  time  to  give  them 
individual  attention  and,  while  their  progress  is  often  amaz- 
ingly rapid,  still  it  is  slower  than  it  need  be.     More  than 


258  THE  TEACHER 

that,  the  presence  of  these  pupils  is  bound  to  retard  the 
progress  of  the  regular  grade.  There  is,  accordingly, 
much  waste  time  and  energy  to  both  classes. 

To  remedy  this  evil,  in  districts  where  there  is  a  large 
per  cent  of  foreigners,  special  classes  are  formed,  to  the 
great  relief  of  the  regular  grades  and  to  the  more  rapid 
advancement  of  the  foreigner. 

So  far  as  known,  Detroit,  Michigan,  was  the  pioneer  in 
establishing   a   special   school   for    stammerers.      This   has 

been  in  operation  since  1910. 
Itammerers  Two   rooms   in   different  parts   of  the   city 

were  opened  and  put  in  charge  of  teachers 
especially  trained.  Unlike  most  special  schools,  the  children 
do  not  do  their  regular  school  work  here.  Those  who  need 
the  training  are  divided  into  groups,  each  group  appear- 
ing two  half -days  each  week  for  technical  instruction  in 
methods  of  overcoming  their  affliction.  The  teachers  each 
have  one  free  day  each  week  which  they  spend  in  visiting 
the  regular  schools  to  see  how  well  the  children  are  apply- 
ing the  specific  instruction  in  their  daily  work. 

In  1912,  the  schools  reported  twenty  children  as  entirely 
cured,  as  well  as  decided  improvement  on  the  part  of  all 
who  had  taken  the  training. 

The  first  experiment  with  open-air  schools  was  made  in 
1904,  in  Charlottenburg,  a  suburb  of  Berlin.     London  fol- 
lowed in  1907  with  a  similar  school.     In  Janu- 
schooit11*  aiT>  1908,  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  opened 

the  first  school  of  its  kind  in  this  country. 
In  December,  New  York  began  the  work,  and  from  that 
time  the  movement  has  become  more  or  less  widespread. 

The  fight  against  tuberculosis  has  had  much  to  do  in 
stimulating  the  movement,  although  the  work  is  not  con- 
fined to  children  actually  suffering  from  tuberculosis.     The 


SPECIAL  SCHOOLS  259 

prevention  of  disease  is  as  important  as  its  cure,  and  much 
more  economical.  These  schools  have  taken  the  children 
suffering  from  anemia,  heart  trouble,  and  scrofula,  as  well 
as  from  pulmonary  trouble. 

The  restoration  to  health  is  made  the  main  business,  but 
surprising  advance,  surprising  even  to  the  promoters  of  the 
plan,  has  been  made  in  studies. 

Mr.  Leonard  P.  Ayres,  Associate  Director,  Department 

.     of  Child  Hygiene,  Russell  Sage  Foundation,  gives  a  good 

description  of  the  day's  routine  in  the  English  school.     This 

general  plan  is  followed  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  in  all 

open-air  schools. 

"A  suitable  place  for  the  new  school  wTas  chosen  in  a 
large  pine  forest  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town.  Plain  sheds 
were  erected  which  sheltered  the  children  during  the  rainy 
weather.  But  in  the  main  the  school  was  kept  in  the  open 
air.  Specially  skilled  teachers  were  put  in  charge,  and  no 
teacher  had  more  than  twenty-five  pupils. 

"The  children  reached  the  school  about  eight  o'clock  in 
the  morning.  Upon  their  arrival  they  received  a  bowl  of 
soup  and  a  slice  of  bread  and  butter.  Classes  commenced 
at  eight  o'clock  with  an  interval  of  five  minutes  after  every 
half  hour  of  teaching.  Instruction  was  reduced  to  the 
most  necessary  subjects  and  never  given  for  more  than  two 
consecutive  hours. 

"At  ten  o'clock  the  children  received  one  or  two  glasses 
of  milk  and  another  slice  of  bread  and  butter.  After  this 
they  played  about,  performed  gymnastic  exercises,  did 
manual  work,  and  read.  Dinner  was  served  at  half-past 
twelve,  and  after  dinner  the  children  rested  or  slept  for 
two  hours.  At  three  o'clock  there  were  some  classes,  and 
at  four,  milk,  rye  bread,  and  jam  were  distributed.  The 
rest  of  the  afternoon  was  devoted  to  informal  instruction 


260  THE  TEACHER 

and  play.  At  seven  o'clock  came  the  last  meal  of  the  day, 
and  then  the  children  returned  home." 

One  great  obstacle  to  carrying  out  this  work  ideally  is 
the  expense  of  it.  These  schools  have  been  made  possible 
in  America  because  the  efforts  of  boards  of  education  have 
been  supplemented  by  other  organizations  and  by  indi- 
viduals. The  expense  of  food  and  clothing  is  often 
defrayed  by  hospitals,  various  charitable  organizations, 
women's  clubs,  and  societies  for  the  prevention  and  cure  of 
tuberculosis.  The  expense  for  the  extra  clothing  necessary 
for  life  in  the  open  is  no  small  item.  In  some  places  the  build- 
ings for  the  experiment  are  the  gift  of  individuals  possessed 
of  deep  interest  in  child  welfare.  These  appreciate  the  heavy 
demand  made  upon  boards  of  education  for  money  and 
realize  that  they  cannot,  in  justice  to  the  taxpayer,  go  too 
deeply  into  expensive  experiments.  These  individuals  have 
faith  in  the  open-air  schools ;  by  backing  that  faith  finan- 
cially, they  hope  to  demonstrate  to  the  general  public  the 
necessity  of  such  individual  treatment,  and  so  prove  the 
experiment  not  an  extravagance,  but  a  valuable  bit  of  civic 
economy. 

The  results  have  exceeded  the  expectations  of  the  most 
hopeful.  All  report  decided  improvement  within  a  very 
few  weeks,  in  appetite,  temperamental  conditions,  and  in 
intellectual  activity. 

In  one  school,  out  of  107  pupils  suffering  from  various 
diseases,  74  were  reported  as  either  entirely  cured  or  vastly 
improved  during  the  three  months  that  the  school  was  in 
session.  Statistics  gathered  from  various  open-air  schools 
show  a  corresponding  stimulus  in  mental  activity  and  sur- 
prising progress  in  studies. 

It  has  also  been  pretty  fully  demonstrated  that  when 
these   children   are   returned   to   the   regular   schools   they 


SPECIAL  SCHOOLS  261 

rapidly  deteriorate.  This  should  prove  conclusively  that 
the  conditions  to  which  the  ordinary  child  is  subjected  are 
far  from  conducive  to  his  best  physical  development  and 
consequently  to  his  highest  intellectual  advancement. 

Independent  of  what  has  been  done  for  the  sub-normal 
child,  the  effect  of  the  open-air  movement  upon  schools  in 
general  has  been  marked.  Even  where  there  are  not  regular 
open-air  schools,  there  are  frequently  outdoor  classes  and 
opportunities  to  study  in  the  open.  New  school  buildings 
are  erected  with  great  windows  which  can  be  flung  wide  open 
instead  of  with  small  loop-holes  in  the  wall.  There  is  more 
outdoor  play,  and  in  various  ways  the  fresh  air  is  allowed 
to  blow  through  our  somewhat  musty  educational  system. 

The  special  schools  already  discussed  have  their  origin 
in  physical  defects  of  children  which  make  their  treatment 
with   the   physically   normal   both   unwise   and    „ 

r    J  J  Mental  and 

uniust.  ™°,r.a] 

J  m  Delinquents 

In  addition,  there  are  many  children  the  vic- 
tims of  mental  and  moral  obliquities  and  deficiencies  who 
cry  out  for  special  consideration  and  for  treatment  fitted 
to  their  failings. 

Almost  every  school  is  doing  something  toward  meeting 
this  situation ;  some  have  gone  farther  than  others,  but  all 
are  headed  in  the  right  direction,  each  organization  apply- 
ing special  instruction  where  the  local  demand  is  most 
imperative. 

Some  administrations  make  a  difference  between  truant 
schools  and  ungraded  schools.     Others  have  but  the  one, 
using  the  latter  name,  purposely  avoiding  the 
objectionable  suggestion  of  the  name   truant.   scho?ised 

Where  the  two  schools  exist,  the  truant  school 
is  maintained  for  the  good  of  delinquent  and  disobedient 
pupils.    Its  purpose  is  reformatory  and  many  children  yield 


262  THE  TEACHER 

to  its  influence  and  are  then  passed  on  to  the  ungraded 
school,  whence  they  are  later  promoted  to  some  regular 
grade. 

The  purpose  of  the  ungraded  school  is  to  treat  the  indi- 
vidual who,  either  from  bad  home  conditions,  from  enforced 
absence  or  absence  through  truancy,  or  for  any  other 
cause,  is  unable  to  do  successfully  the  assignment  of  the 
grade  in  which  his  age  would  place  him. 

When  the  city  is  large  enough,  several  ungraded  schools 
are  established.  One  city  of  something  over  100,000  inhab- 
itants reports  during  a  recent  year  sixteen  rooms  for 
retarded  pupils.  This  same  city  reports  442  pupils  in 
ungraded  rooms  in  the  one  year,  and  280  in  the  following 
year.  While  all  this  decrease  cannot  be  credited  to  the 
ungraded  schools,  it  does  establish  beyond  a  doubt  that  a 
large  percentage  of  those  who  have  individual  attention 
are  able  to  undertake  their  regular  grade  and  afterwards 
keep  their  standing  in  it.' 

In  a  certain  city  maintaining  but  one  type  of  these 
schools,  the  children  attending  are  selected  upon  the  follow- 
ing basis: 

"Class  one,  habitual  truants  from  any  school  in  which 
they  are  enrolled  as  pupils ;  class  two,  children  who  while 
attending  school  are  incorrigibly  turbulent,  disobedient,  or 
insubordinate,  or  are  vicious  and  immoral  in  conduct ;  class 
three,  children  who  are  not  attending  any  school,  and  who 
habitually  frequent  streets  and  other  public  places,  having 
no  lawful  business,  employment,  or  occupation." 

It  is  evident  that  the  class  of  children  thus  gathered 
require  special  attention  morally  and  the  child  who  is 
merely  backward  is  bound  to  suffer  in  such  association.  In 
the  particular  city  mentioned,  these  are  taken  care  of  in  a 
special  school,  which  will  be  considered  later. 


SPECIAL  SCHOOLS  263 

Every  city  has  a  group  of  children  who  have  no  homes 
or  whose  homes   are  worse  than   none   at  all.      These   are 
nevertheless  material  for  citizenship.     If  it  is 
to    be    developed    worthily,    the    public    must   school' 
assume  the  responsibility. 

In  this  direction,  also,  individuals  and  institutions  are 
working  in  connection  with  the  public  school  system  to  the 
saving  of  this  class  of  children. 

In  one  city,  the  personal  gift  of  two  philanthropic 
women  has  made  it  possible  "to  establish  a  parental  school 
for  boys  which  will  furnish  them  a  home,  helpful  environ- 
ment, and  an  opportunity  to  work  out  their  salvation." 

The  Salvation  Army,  in  the  same  city,  has  established  a 
rescue  home  for  girls,  which  has  won  the  full  confidence  of 
the  community.  The  board  of  education,  recognizing  the 
rights  of  these  girls  to  some  education,  and  understanding 
that  it  would  be  entirely  unwise  to  place  them  in  the  schools 
regularly,  have  agreed  to  furnish  a  teacher,  who  goes  to 
the  home. 

There  is  a  class  of  girls,  not  yet  wholly  wayward,  but 
whose  environment  makes  it  almost  impossible  for  them 
to  continue  in  "the  street  called  straight."  In  addition  to 
the  few  hours  a  day  which  the  public  schools  offer  for  help, 
they  need  a  place  where  they  can  be  trained  to  high  ideals 
of  home  and  of  home  life.  Some  cities  are  already  attack- 
ing this  problem,  although  it  is  comparatively  a  new  one  to 
the  public  schools.  Wherever  it  has  been  attempted  at  all, 
the  movement  has  been  made  through  private  individuals  or 
some  institution,  just  as  much  of  this  advanced  experimen- 
tal work  is  being  done. 

The  hope  is  that  through  beginning  early  the  moral 
supervision  of  children  whose  environment  is  all  wrong,  a 
large  number  may  be  saved  from  the  penal  and  reforma- 


264  THE  TEACHER 

tory  institutions.  If  this  can  be  accomplished,  the  economic 
balance  would  be  preserved.  The  money  would  be  spent  by 
the  state  earlier,  and  eventually  much  less  would  be  required. 
It  is  cheaper  to  train  a  child  for  a  few  years  to  worthy  man- 
hood or  womanhood  than  it  is  to  take  care  of  him  for  life 
at  some  prison  or  house  of  correction.  It  should  be  better 
economy  to  care  for  those  morally  diseased  early  than  to 
pay  a  heavy  tax  for  their  support  as  criminals  through  a 
long  and  worse  than  useless  life. 

The  gain  in  turning  the  influence  of  one  person  toward 
good  rather  than  allowing  it  to  run  unguided  into  crime 
is  a  matter  entirely  beyond  the  human  power  to  estimate. 

One  of  the  most  important  discussions  before  the  educa- 
tional world  today  is  that  of  the  segregation  of  the  dull 

or  feeble-minded  children.  Following:  the  spirit 
Schools  for  .  °  r 

the  Feeble-       0f   the   Declaration   of   Independence  that   all 

Minded  * 

men  are  born  free  and  equal,  we  have  acted 
upon  the  assumed  intellectual  equality  of  children  in  the 
construction  of  our  educational  system.  Every  parent, 
contemplating  his  child  in  infancy,  dreams  of  what  that 
child  will  be  as  he  reaches  maturity.  Those  dreams  are  rosy- 
hued.  They  endow  the  unfolded  nature  with  great  possi- 
bilities. Position,  rank,  beauty,  genius,  power,  fame,  are 
some  of  these,  but  perhaps  the  most  common  dream,  the 
most  nearly  universal  ambition,  lies  in  the  direction  of 
intellectual  attainment.  Sometimes,  when  the  child  goes  to 
school  and  measures  himself  with  others,  the  conviction  is 
forced  home  that  he  is  really  dull.  This  dullness  is  not 
the  fault  of  the  child,  and  ought  to  receive  as  careful  and 
considerate  treatment  as  would  be  given  to  a  physical 
deformity,  to  astigmatism,  to  dull  ears,  or  to  an  anemic 
body. 

Sometimes  it  is  more  than  dullness:    the  child  may  be 


SPECIAL  SCHOOLS  265 

feeble-minded.  It  is  hard  for  the  parent  to  realize  this 
except  in  extreme  cases. 

It  has  been  established  that  from  one  to  two  per  cent 
of  the  children  in  our  public  schools  are  feeble-minded,  and 
jet  we  have  gone  on  and  on  trying  to  get  the  same  results 
from  these  children  as  from  the  normal  ones. 

To  know  what  has  been  done  in  the  study  of  such  cases 
and  what  should  be  the  duty  to  the  community  as  well  as 
to  these  individuals,  is  now  demanded  of  the  teacher  who 
would  keep  up  with  the  trend  of  modern  education. 

At  present,  the  Training  School  for  Feeble-Minded 
Boys  and  Girls,  at  Vineland,  New  Jersey,  is  the  leader  in 
this  work,  and  some  of  the  conclusions  reached  through 
their  very  scientific  investigations  and  experiments  should 
give  us  pause.  Both  Principal  Johnstone  of  the  institution 
and  Dr.  Goddard,  director  of  the  department  of  psycho- 
logical research,  have  lectured  widely  over  the  country,  and 
the  doors  of  their  school  swing  freely  to  all  who  are  inter- 
ested in  making  investigations  in  this  very  important 
sub  j  ect. 

Their  work  is  not  haphazard  theorizing,  but  consists  of 
careful,  scientific,  conscientious  investigation  of  hundreds 
of  cases,  tracing  their  family  history  and  showing  the 
evils  that  arise  from  treating  these  cases  as  normal  children 
are  treated.  They  recognize  the  utter  hopelessness  of  ever 
developing  the  feeble-minded  above  a  very  low  standard. 

Quoting  from  an  address  delivered  by  Dr.  Goddard  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Michigan  Schoolmasters'  Club : 

"In  Michigan  you  raise  apples  as  we  do  in  my  native 
state  of  Maine.  Now,  there  are  good  apples  and  bad 
apples.  There  are  two  kinds  of  bad  apples.  There  are 
those  that  are  hard  and  sour  and  bitter.  There  are  those 
that  have  decayed. 


266  THE  TEACHER 

"I  suppose  it  would  not  be  possible  to  find  in  the  whole 
state  of  Michigan  any  person  so  foolish  as  to  attempt  to 
make  a  hard,  sour,  and  bitter  apple  sweet  and  soft  and 
palatable  by  any  process  of  training  or  exercise ; — by  keep- 
ing it  warm  or  keeping  it  cold.  It  would  be  recognized  at 
once  that  such  an  apple  came  from  an  ungrafted  tree,  and 
nothing  was  to  be  done  except  to  turn  to  the  tree. 

"Equally  absurd  would  it  be  to  attempt  to  restore  a 
rotten  apple,  by  putting  it  among  good  apples,  or  by 
any  process  of  treatment  to  bring  it  back  to  soundness. 

"It  is  curious  that  we  are  so  much  wiser  in  our  ideas 
about  apples  than  about  children,  and  yet  the  same  holds 
true  of  children." 

Dr.  Goddard  then  proceeded  to  show  by  means  of  charts 
illustrating  the  mental  condition  of  families  of  which  he 
had  carefully  traced  the  history,  that  the  taint  of  feeble- 
mindedness is  persistent,  that  the  feeble-minded  produce 
their  kind  and  only  their  kind.     In  conclusion  he  said: 

"These  are  a  few  samples  out  of  many  histories  that  we 
have  on  file  in  our  laboratory,  and  let  me  remind  you  that 
I  am  giving  you  no  exceptionally  bad  picture.  This  is  the 
condition  of  things  that  exists  all  about  us.  We  have  these 
mentally  defective  children  in  every  community.  They  are 
out  in  the  world,  struggling  to  make  a  living,  but  failing, 
eventually  become  paupers,  or  criminals,  or  dependents 
upon  their  relatives  or  friends,  in  any  case  very  probably 
marrying  and  reproducing  their  kind  at  an  alarming  rate. 
Statistics  show  that  this  group  of  people  is  increasing  at 
double  the  rate  of  the  general  population.  These  children 
comprise  from  one  to  two  per  cent  of  the  children  in  our 
schools.  They  cannot  learn  to  read  and  write  and  count 
with  any  efficiency,  and  yet  we  are  wasting  their  time  trying 
to  teach  them  these  things.     The  thing  that  they  can  do 


SPECIAL  SCHOOLS  267 

is  to  learn  to  use  their  hands.  Manual  training,  physical 
culture,  and  the  like  are  excellent  for  them,  and  make  them 
happier  and  make  them  as  useful  as  they  can  become. 
They  often  have  excellent  memories  and  learn  so  much  by 
rote  that  we  are  deceived  into  believing  that  they  are 
making  progress. 

"The  problem  before  the  school  authorities  of  the  coun- 
try today  is  the  segregation  of  these  children,  the  selecting 
out  from  the  regular  classes  and  putting  them  together  in 
special  classes  under  specially  trained  and  expert  teachers, 
where  they  shall  be  trained  to  do  whatever  their  capacity 
permits,  but  shall  not  be  worried  with  those  abstract  sub- 
jects of  reading  and  writing  which  they  can  never  do.  In 
this  way  we  shall  relieve  the  regular  system  and  we  shall 
do  more  good  for  these  children  than  in  any  other  way. 
Cease  worrying  them  with  books ;  teach  them  to  work,  and 
thus  make  them  happy.  But  however  efficient  we  make 
them  as  workers  with  their  hands,  we  must  never  forget 
that  if  they  marry  they  reproduce  their  kind,  and  again  fill 
our  schools  with  defective  children  with  whom  the  same 
process  will  have  to  be  gone  through. 

"The  only  thing  for  society  to  do  is  to  prevent  procrea- 
tion in  this  group,  and  then  in  a  generation  the  problem 
will  be  greatly  reduced  and  simplified." 

Dr.  Goddard  has  been  thus  fully  quoted  because  he 
has  stated  the  case  most  forcefully  and  concisely,  and  the 
importance  of  it  should  reach  the  mind  of  every  teacher. 

The  prevention  of  this  rapid  reproduction  of  the  feeble- 
minded is  finally  a  social  problem,  but  the  beginning  of 
its  solution  is  for  the  schools.  Teachers  should  make  a 
thorough  study  of  what  has  been  already  done  toward  the 
segregation  of  such  cases.  Where  the  practical  beginnings 
have  been  made,  where  there  are  already  separate  schools 


268  THE  TEACHER 

for  the  feeble-minded,  where  the  Binet  system  is  in  opera- 
tion for  their  detection,  the  teacher  should  be  able  intelli- 
gently to  assist  in  the  work.  Where  nothing  has  been  done, 
the  teacher  should  be  a  pioneer,  insisting  upon  the  impor- 
tance of  relieving  the  general  body  of  the  schools  from  the 
dead  weight  of  the  hopelessly  sub-normal. 

In  doing  this,  the  gain  is  not  only  in  the  happiness,  the 
correct  handling  of  the  feeble-minded,  but  even  in  a  greater 
degree  is  it  a  gain  to  the  normal  child  and  to  the  excep- 
tionally bright. 

Too  much  energy  has  been  expended  upon  the  dull  and 
the  vicious.  The  others  have  been  held  back,  dead-weighted, 
and  made  to  mark  time  in  the  vain  hope  of  bringing  the 
sub-normal  even  to  mediocrity.  It  is  time  that  this  waste 
of  energy,  money,  and  native  ability  stop. 

After  all,  the  advancement  of  the  normal  and  the  un- 
usually bright  child  is  the  most  important  consideration  in 
school  economy,  for  these  are  the  ones  that  are  needed  for 
the  highest  advancement  of  civilization.  Do  all  that  can 
be  done  for  the  good  of  the  others,  but  do  it  in  such  a 
way  that  it  shall  not  impede  the  progress  of  those  who 
are  finally  to  do  the  world's  work. 

It  is  possible,  after  all,  that  the  greatest  benefits  accru- 
ing from  the  establishment  of  these  various  special  schools 
General  may  n°t  De  confined  to  the  sub-normal  children 

ipeecCiai°f  f°r  whom  they  are  instituted.     Through  these 

Schools  experiments,  these  very  scientific  experiments, 

we  are  learning  more  about  education  than  the  whole  coun- 
try had  learned  in  a  century  of  the  old-fashioned  pedagogy. 
As  Mr.  Leonard  Ayres  has  so  aptly  put  it,  through  them 
we  are  making  long  strides  "toward  that  school  system  of 
the  future  in  which  the  child  will  not  have  to  be  either 
feeble-minded,  or  delinquent,  or  truant,  or  tuberculous,  in 


SPECIAL  SCHOOLS  269 

order  to   enjoy  the  best  and  fullest   sorts  of  educational 
opportunities." 

Even  this  brief  view  of  what  is  being  done  by  special 
schools,  and  in  the  closer  care   of  children  bv  the  school 
system,  makes  one  wonder  if  all  responsibility   Some 
of  the  child  will  eventually  be  turned  over  to   9^Qe\s  of 
public  organization.     Are  the  schools  fast  be-  Schools 
coming  a  trust,  a  monopoly  for  proper,  scientific  training 
of  children? 

These  modern  innovations  have  no  intention  of  eliminat- 
ing the  responsibility  of  the  home ;  their  purpose  is  to  sup- 
plement the  home  and,  where  the  home  is  vicious,  to  offer 
something  to  counteract  that  vicious  influence,  or,  in  the 
case  of  the  parental  schools,  to  eliminate  it  entirely. 

There  are  certain  activities  for  a  young  life  which,  to 
be  carried  on  successfully,  need  numbers  and  the  inspira- 
tion of  companions  of  the  same  age.  Athletics,  in  all  its 
branches,  and  most  of  the  work  in  manual  training, 
are  strengthened  and  made  possible  through  the  school 
organization. 

There  is,  however,  a  serious  danger  in  the  tendency  of 
the  home  to  shirk  more  and  more  responsibility  as  the 
school  shows  a  willingness  to  assume  it.  So  long  as  a  home 
at  all  worthy  of  the  name  exists,  it  should  be  made  to  feel 
and  to  bear  this  responsibility. 

In  a  school  made  up  largely  of  the  children  of  the 
wealthy  it  became  necessary  for  a  boy  to  decide  between 
two  studies  for  the  semester.  The  decision  rested  upon 
the  college  or  the  type  of  college  which  the  boy  would 
attend.  It  was  settled  that  he  was  to  go  to  college.  The 
teacher  discussed  the  matter  with  him,  cleared  the  situation, 
and  sent  him  home  with  a  perfectly  definite  question  to  be 
settled. 


270  THE  TEACHER 

The  next  morning  he  reported  that  his  mother  had  been 
out  to  dinner  and  that  he  could  not  see  her.  The  next 
night  she  went  to  the  theatre.  The  third  night  there  was 
some  other  social  engagement  which  took  her  time.  She 
had  no  leisure  for  her  son,  who,  for  three  consecutive  days, 
found  it  impossible  to  talk  with  her.  The  teacher  wasted 
no  more  time,  but  made  the  decision  herself.  Whether 
the  mother  ever  knew  anything  about  the  matter  always 
remained  a  mvsterv,  for  she  never  made  a  sign  either  of 
approval  or  disapproval. 

Another  mother  once  commended  a  boy's  boarding-school 
for  the  excellent  influence  over  her  son.  "Why,"  she 
exclaimed,  "he  keeps  his  finger-nails  clean  now !" 

It  may  be  old-fashioned,  but  it  still  seems  right  to  expect 
the  home — a  well-ordered  one — to  look  after  some  of  the 
details  of  good  breeding  and  the  care  of  the  body.  It  is 
enough  for  the  schools  to  assume  the  responsibility  where 
poverty,  illness,  and  other  adverse  conditions  make  it  impos- 
sible for  the  home  to  do  it. 

There  is  a  story  current  that  a  mother  wrote  to  President 
Eliot,  when  her  son  entered  Harvard,  that  she  wanted  her 
boy  to  be  up  and  washed  by  eight  o'clock. 

Shall  the  schools  continue  to  assume  responsibility  until 
such  a  request  ceases  to  be  a  joke? 

A  second  danger  lurks  in  the  possible  tendency  of  teach- 
ers to  be  too  ready  to  turn  over  to  the  special  school  chil- 
dren who  should,  in  justice  to  them  and  to  the  schools,  be 
handled  with  the  normal  children.  If  these  schools  serve 
their  purpose,  they  should  be  constantly  turning  back  to 
the  classes  of  the  normals,  children  whom  they  have  cured 
of  infirmities. 

Teachers  should  be  keenly  alert  to  detect  sub-normal  or 
abnormal  characteristics ;   they  should  be  familiar  with  all 


SPECIAL  SCHOOLS  271 

the  latest  ideas  in  special  education ;  they  should  be  compe- 
tent to  judge  clearly  who  need  this  special  training  and 
who  are  better  off  to  stand  on  tip-toe  for  a  little  time  in 
their  present  environment,  feeling  that  they  will  eventu- 
ally be  able  to  hold  their  own.  To  be  considered  either 
abnormal  or  sub-normal  is  not  the  best  thing  for  the  child ; 
to  be  classed  there  when  the  classification  is  not  quite  a  true 
one  is  a  tragedy. 

It  must  be  kept  emphatically  in  mind  that  the  purpose 
of  all  this  special  education  is  the  restoring  to  the  normal 
of  the  greatest  number  of  individuals  that  can  be  brought 
back  to  that  class.  While  it  is  important  that  all  who  need 
this  particular  consideration  should  have  it,  it  is  equally 
imperative  that  not  one  child  be  thrust  into  it  or  kept  in  it 
unless  the  necessity  is  absolute. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 
A  BALANCE  SHEET 

At  the  close  of  the  business  year,  it  is  the  custom,  in  all 
well-conducted  enterprises,  to  take  an  account  of  stock,  to 
draw  off  a  balance  sheet.  From  this  the  responsible  men 
in  the  organization  decide  whether  the  year  has  been  a 
prosperous  one  or  a  failure ;  from  this  they  also  form 
plans  for  the  coming  year  and  shape  a  policy  which  shall 
be  followed  more  or  less  closely  according  to  the  dictates  of 
circumstances. 

From  the  last  days  in  June  back  to  the  early  ones  in 
September  is  a  long  stretch  of  ten  months.  These  months, 
for  both  teachers  and  pupils,  have  been  filled  with  various 
activities,  with  unforeseen  experiences,  with  unexpected 
results.  Before  finally  closing  the  school-room  door  for 
the  long  vacation,  it  may  be  profitable  to  run  an  account- 
ant's eve  over  the  various  entries  and  see  whether  the  trans- 
actions of  the  year  have  increased  the  capital  or  have  left 
things  in  a  state  bordering  on  bankruptcy. 

Even  though  the  opening  days  of  school  were  unseason- 
ably warm,  there  was  in  the  September  breeze  a  promise 

of  coolness ;  there  was  visor  in   every  breath 
The  o  j 

September  of  the  autumn  air.  All  returned  from  the 
summer  vacation  rested  and  full  of  enthusiasm. 
The  boy  whom  you  prodded  and  dragged  through  his- 
tory, or  geography,  or  arithmetic,  the  year  before,  assured 
you  that  you  would  have  to  give  him  high  marks  this  year 

272 


A  BALANCE  SHEET  273 

because  he  was  going  to  earn  them.  The  laziest  girl  in 
school  told  you  how  hard  she  was  going  to  study.  Those 
who  could  not  carry  successfully  the  regular  work  of  their 
grade,  and  failed  in  perhaps  one  or  two  studies,  planned  to 
take  up  the  full  schedule  and  make  up  this  back  work 
besides.  The  troublesome  ones  confessed  to  you,  in  closest 
confidence,  the  good  resolutions  they  had  made. 

But  the  strangest  part  of  it  all  was  that  you  returned  to 
your  work  with  the  same  kind  of  enthusiasm,  and  you 
entered  most  heartily  and  with  genuine  sympathy  into  all 
these  hopes,  even  though  back  in  the  hidden  recesses  of  your 
mind  the  question  stirred  as  to  whether  all  of  this  could  be 
accomplished  without  the  working  of  miracles.  Yet,  if 
miracles  were  necessary,  you  and  they  had  the  power  to 
work  them.  You  had  that  faith  in  your  power  which  would 
remove  mountains. 

This  is  the  one  great  thing  which  the  summer  vacation 
does  for  all  school  people.  Without  it,  teachers  could 
scarcely  endure  the  strain  which  the  school  puts  upon  them. 
There  is  something  in  the  bringing  of  one's  work  to  a  defi- 
nite close,  finishing  it,  putting  it  entirely  aside,  and  seeking 
different  experiences  for  two  months,  that  brings  eagerness 
for  a  renewal  of  the  tasks  which  were  so  willingly  put  aside 
in  June. 

The    opening    days    were    joyous    and    everything    ran 

smoothly.      Teaching   was    easy    and   work    better   than    a 

holiday.      The   momentum   gained   during   the 

summer  carried  us  all  along,  but  little  by  lit-   Mid -winter 

.  .       State 

tie  that   diminished,   and   the   conscious   strain 

was    upon    us.      The    boy    who    was    to    get    only    high 

marks  began  to   fail.      The   girl  who  was  to  surprise  her 

teachers    by    her    extraordinary    diligence    sank    into    her 

old  listlessness.      Those  who   made   such   good   resolutions 


274  THE  TEACHER 

as  to  conduct,  needed  attention,  and  sometimes  demanded 
reproof.  The  days  grew  darker  and  shorter,  windows  had 
to  be  closed,  and  the  winter  storms  came,  and  with  them 
irregular  attendance.  The  cars  were  frequently  blocked, 
those  who  walked  arrived  through  difficulties,  and  many 
were  kept  at  home  altogether  because  of  illness  or  im- 
passable roads.  In  fact,  school  settled  down  to  the  hard 
pull  of  mid-winter.  The  teacher  summoned  every  bit  of 
her  courage,  kept  patience  constantly  on  duty,  and  held 
both  the  school  and  herself  under  firm  control. 

Just  as  the  strain  became  almost  too  great,  and  the  pent- 
up  restlessness  threatened  to  break  bounds,  the  Christmas 
vacation  came  as  a  relief,  and  at  exactly  the  right  time. 

The  stretch  to  the  Easter  vacation  was  not  so  long. 
After  that  the  sun  traveled  rapidly  north,  the  days  were 
longer  and  fraught  with  the  delightful  outdoor  life,  the 
winged  weeks  flew  past,  and  now  the  time  for  closing  school 
has  actually  arrived. 

Placing  June  and  September  side  by  side,  every  con- 
scientious teacher  is  apt  to  feel,  at  first,  a  wave  of  over- 
whelming discouragement.  She  had  planned  so  much  in 
September ;  the  results  in  June  fall  so  short  of  expecta- 
tions. Even  though  that  be  true,  is  it  any  reason  to  count 
the  year  a  failure?  Few  ever  reach  the  heights  to  which 
they  aspire,  but  the  ideal  must  be  fixed  somewhere  above 
the  ideals  of  the  past ;  otherwise  there  is  no  progress.  The 
teacher  who  is  satisfied  with  the  year  that  is  behind  should 
make  it  his  or  her  first  business  to  resign  and  make  room 
for  a  worthy  successor,  one  whom  the  Divine  discontent 
still  drives  to  better  things. 

It  is  right  that  in  September  ideals  should  be  set  high : 
it  is  not  failure  if  in  June  all  of  them  have  not  been 
realized. 


A  BALANCE  SHEET  275 

It  is  inevitable  that  a  good  teacher  should  feel  that  dis- 
satisfaction with  the  final  accounting,  but  it  is  not  wise  to 
brood  over  the  condition.     Having  recognized 

Seekinq 

the  fact  that  the  results  are  not  all  that  had    Encou rage- 
been  hoped,  it  is  then  time  to  sit  down  delib- 
erately and  count  one's  blessings.     It  might  be  well  to  add 
that  this  is  not  a  bad  thing  to  do  occasionally  during  the 
year,  both  for  the  individual  and  for  a  group  of  teachers. 

In  one  school  there  were  weekly  teachers'  meetings.  In 
these,  the  faculty  laid  their  troubles  at  the  feet  of  the  prin- 
cipal. They  discussed  the  stupidity  of  this  girl  in  arith- 
metic, the  struggles  of  another  with  grammar,  and  the 
shortcomings  of  the  regulation  black  sheep  that  find  their 
way  into  the  fold  of  every  school.  After  a  meeting  which 
had  been  particularly  fruitful  in  this  kind  of  criticism, — 
a  meeting  that  left  all  feeling  that  they  were  making  an 
abject  failure  of  the  teaching  business,  someone  suggested 
that,  at  the  next  gathering,  they  should  speak  of  nothing 
but  the  pleasant  things ;  that  they  should  drop,  for  that 
time,  the  troublesome  pupils,  and  give  a  little  attention 
to  the  worthy  ones.  It  is  very  easy  to  neglect  these, 
for  they  go  along  so  independently,  demand  so  little  from 
the  teachers,  and  carry  the  responsibility  of  their  work 
so  easily,  that  it  is  necessary  sometimes  to  bring  them 
forcibly  to  mind. 

The  meeting  was  held  as  planned,  and  it  and  the  lesson 
of  it  made  a  lasting  impression  upon  the  faculty.  Take 
the  suggestion,  and  try  it  yourself  sometimes ;  it  will  be 
well  worth  while. 

In  a  similar  way,  each  June  let  us  send  our  thoughts 
back  over  the  year  just  closing  and  see  what  of  encourage- 
ment we  can  find.  Compare  the  close  of  each  year  with  that 
of  the  year  before  rather  than  with  September  ideals. 


276  THE  TEACHER 

If  you  are  a  high  school  teacher,  the  mind  goes  first  to 
the  graduating  class,  to  the  twenty,  fifty,  or  a  hundred 
The  Credit  young  people  who  are  going  now  beyond  the 
fa^High  reach  of  your  daily  influence.     You  have  lived 

schools  .  very  ciose  to  them  for  one,  two,  three,  or  four 
years.  The  turbulent,  restless,  irresponsible  ninth  year 
boy  has  grown  tall  and  strong,  and  to  be  depended  upon. 
Possibly  he  does  not  lead  his  class  in  his  studies,  some  ques- 
tion as  to  the  wisdom  even  of  granting  him  a  diploma  may 
have  arisen,  but  the  teacher  who  looks  deep  into  the  issues 
of  a  boy's  life  knows  how  he  has  gained  steadily  through 
all  the  years  of  his  high  school  course.  Little  by  little  he 
has  taken  the  responsibility  of  his  own  actions.  She  knows 
some  of  the  battles  which  the  boy  has  fought  and  won,  and 
when  he  looks  straight  out  of  true  manly  eyes,  the  teacher 
is  sure  that,  while  he  may  never  accomplish  great  things 
intellectually,  he  will  make  a  good  citizen,  and  will  be,  in 
his  own  town,  a  power  for  right  and  for  sturdy  principle. 
The  teacher  who  can  feel  that  she  has  had  a  share  in  this 
development  can  place  something  to  her  credit  in  the  bal- 
ancing of  accounts. 

Again,  one  remembers  how  that  now  joyous  girl  reached 
utter  discouragement  in  her  junior  year,  was  ready  to  leave 
school  and  give  it  all  up.  Wise  counsel  and  encouragement 
at  the  right  time  kept  her  in  her  place,  and  her  gratitude 
is  a  certificate  of  deposit  to  be  honored  on  demand.  Another 
was  once  willing  to  desert  the  more  difficult  study  for  an 
easier  one.  The  steadying  hand  kept  him  in  line,  pulled 
him  out  of  the  ranks  of  the  snap-hunter,  and  now  he  is  fitted 
for  college,  to  which  he  is  eagerly  looking  forward, — 
another  item  to  go  on  the  right  side  of  the  balance. 

So  the  teacher  can  go  over  the  entire  list  of  graduates, 


A  BALANCE  SHEET  277 

and,  if  she  has  been  to  the  school  what  she  should  have 
been,  each  name  will  bring  to  memory  some  moment  of 
helpfulness. 

As  the  later  months  in  the  high  school  have  been  lived, 
so,  in  the  main,  will  go  the  current  of  the  life  to  follow. 
No  mistakes,  no  faults  of  character,  no  failures,  are  hope- 
less if  the  boy  or  girl  is  young  enough  and  purposes  are 
in  the  right  direction.  But  the  close  of  the  twelfth  year 
of  school  usually  finds  a  young  person,  in  character  and 
ideals,  about  where  he  will  remain  through  life.  These 
may  strengthen  or  weaken  as  the  years  go  by,  but  will 
rarely  change  direction.  The  teacher  who  can  claim  a  share 
in  shaping  such  high  ideals,  directing  toward  noble  pur- 
poses, and  strengthening  weak  points  in  character,  has 
worked  well  and  has  not  failed. 

Just  as  men  are  but  children  of  a  larger  growth,  so  the 

things  that  count  for  gain  in  the  grades  are    ,  v 

.  ii-  (b)    in 

not  markedly  different  from  those  which  applv   9the,r 

J  ,  rsr  J     Grades 

to  the  older  pupils. 

In  the  face  of  many  a  child  can  we  read  the  proof  that 
the  year's  labor  has  not  been  in  vain. 

There  are  changed  expressions  on  many  faces.  Impa- 
tient and  irritable  looks  have  vanished,  and  these  young 
people,  with  well  lifted  chins  and  level  eyes,  look  back 
at  you  in  friendly  confidence.  You  have  helped  this  one 
time  after  time  control  a  temper  given  to  violent  outbursts, 
until  now  the  mastery  comes  from  within,  and  often  only 
the  sympathetic  teacher  knows  when  the  fire  is  raging 
beneath.  To  accomplish  this,  the  teacher  must  have  learned 
never  to  descend  to  the  level  of  an  angry  child,  must  have 
her  own  temper  well  subdued.  That  the  bare  teaching  of 
studies  has  been  done  well,  goes  without  saying;   the  Dther 


278  THE  TEACHER 

conditions  could  not  exist  without  faithfulness  to  the  nat- 
ural duties  of  the  school-room,  for  these  become  the  means 
by  which  the  rest  are  accomplished. 

Over  in  the  back  of  the  room  sits  a  boy,  tall  for  his  age, 
and  heavy  in  proportion.  He  came  from  another  school 
with  a  reputation  for  hopelessly  bad  scholarship  in  spite 
of  his  good  equipment  of  brains,  and  with  a  tendency  to 
play  truant  at  every  opportunity  which  he  could  find.  But 
the  experienced  teacher,  looking  deep  into  his  eyes,  found 
truth  at  the  bottom,  and  had  faith  in  him.  She  saw  that 
he  had  come  with  a  desire  to  do  better,  and  was  glad  to 
step  into  new  environment.  He  started  well,  did  his  work 
satisfactorily,  and  was  regular  in  attendance.  She  did  not 
delude  herself,  however,  into  thinking  that  he  would  go 
straight  forward  without  lapses, — that  was  too  much  to 
expect  of  human  nature.  One  morning  his  seat  was  vacant ; 
the  next  morning  he  did  not  appear,  and  that  night  she 
learned  that  he  had  fallen  into  old  habits.  To  report  the 
matter  to  principal  and  parents  would  have  been  an  easy 
way  out  of  the  responsibility,  but  the  wise  teacher  thought 
first  of  the  boy  and  the  effect  upon  him.  The  easier  way 
had  been  tried  before  and  had  failed.  Instead,  she  wrote 
him  a  personal  note,  which  brought  him  back  penitent  but 
not  humiliated,  and  the  talk  which  followed  proved  to  the 
boy  that  he  had  a  friend  who  understood  and  who  would 
help  him.  The  end  of  the  year  finds  him  in  his  place  with 
high  record  in  all  his  studies.  One  such  account  is  a 
valuable  asset. 

Perhaps  you  took,  in  the  fall,  a  class  from  some  teacher 
who  had  not  worked  as  earnestly  as  you.  It  is  a  discourag- 
ing problem,  but  if  you  were  wise  enough  to  recognize  it  at 
the  beginning,  you  expected  little  of  the  class,  more  of 
yourself.     Day  by  day  you  have  gradually  thrust  responsi- 


A  BALANCE  SHEET  279 

bility  back  upon  them,  have  presented  your  subject  with 
clearness  and  demanded  certain  definite  results  from  them, 
content  with  small  ones  at  first,  but  insisting  upon  more 
as  intellectual  fiber  strengthened.  Finally  the  class  stood 
upon  its  own  feet  with  a  clear  understanding  of  the  subject 
in  hand. 

Whoever  has  done  this  has  succeeded;  whoever  has  done 
this  without  criticism  of  her  predecessor  has  added  greatly 
to  her  working  capital. 

In  entering  other  accounts,  ask  }^ourself  a  few  questions, 
and  place  the  item  to  debit  or  credit  according  to  your  own 
honest  answers. 

Has  your  school  grown  in  consideration  for  Bafance3' 
the  rights  of  others?     Think  back  to  the  days 
when  the  pupils,  new  to  your  methods,  thought  that  because 
there  existed  little  rigorous  restraint  of  external  rules,  they 
were  at  liberty  to  do  as  they  pleased. 

Have  these  same  boys  and  girls,  by  June  or  earlier, 
learned  to  recognize  the  rights  of  others,  to  be  thoughtful 
of  you,  and  to  see  that  their  school  moved  on  decently 
and  in  order? 

Have  they  learned  that  the  school  exists  for  them,  and 
that  they  carry  some  responsibility  for  making  it  a  worthy 
one? 

Have  the  girls  who  spoke  in  shrill,  nasal  tones,  modulated 
their  voices  to  the  key  of  the  cultured  woman? 

Has  your  school-room  become  a  place  where  study  is 
manifestly  the  main  business  in  hand? 

Have  you  trained  your  young  people  to  such  forgetful- 
ness  of  you  and  your  actions  that  you  can  go  about  your 
work  unwatched?  A  school  should  have  such  urgent  busi- 
ness of  its  own,  and  should  be  so  diligently  engaged  upon 
it,  as  to  have  no  time  for  idly  watching  the  teacher. 


280  THE  TEACHER 

Have  you  seen  to  it  that  the  lessons  assigned  each  day 
have  been  suited  to  the  powers  of  the  pupils,  or  have  you 
made  that  too  common  mistake  of  setting  tasks  commensu- 
rate with  your  own  mature  ability  rather  than  with  that 
of  the  untrained  mind? 

Having  assigned  lessons  wisely,  have  you  insisted  that 
they  be  mastered?  If  you  have  failed  to  do  this,  you  have 
wronged  the  child;  if  you  have  done  it,  no  matter  if  what 
he  learns  is  seemingly  of  little  intrinsic  value,  you  have 
done  your  duty. 

Has  the  aim  of  your  teaching  been  toward  simplifying 
a  subject,  stripping  it  of  all  superfluous  verbiage,  that  the 
pupils  may  get  their  teeth  into  the  sweet  kernel  of  real 
knowledge?  In  other  words,  have  you  taught,  and  not 
merely  presented  a  confusion  of  difficulties? 

Do  responsive  greetings  and  kindly  looks  come  to  you 
rather  than  impatient  scowls  and  frowns? 

Can  you  sit  at  your  desk  and  feel  that  you  reach  with 
friendly,  cordial  interest  every  individual  before  you  ?  That 
does  not  mean  that  the  interest  need  be  the  same  in  every 
case;  but  have  you  the  human  element  which  has  touched, 
on  some  side,  each  one  of  the  complex  natures  under  your 
charge  ? 

Have  you  won  the  confidence  of  all  your  children? 

Have  they  faith  in  your  purposes,  and  faith  in  your 
sense  of  justice? 

What  have  you  done  to  prepare  them  for  new  responsi- 
bilities ? 

Are  they  stronger  than  at  the  beginning  of  the  year,  or 
have  they  drifted  through  the  days  in  idleness  and  with 
careless  spirit? 

Have  you  brought  them  a  little  farther  on  their  way  to 
strong  manhood  and  womanhood? 


A  BALANCE  SHEET  281 

Has  the  feeling  for  integrity  deepened  day  by  day,  so 
that  you  can  trust  the  school  and  its  individuals  a  little 
better  than  at  the  beginning  of  the  year? 

Above  all  else,  are  you  a  bigger  individual,  with  a 
broader  outlook  upon  life,  a  deeper  sympathy,  a  surer 
human  touch? 

The  teacher  who  can  answer  such  questions  to  her  own 
satisfaction  has  enough  to  her  credit  to  liquidate  any  indebt- 
edness that  may  have  accrued  from  a  few  ideals  unattained. 


INDEX 


Activity  interest,  240 

Affectation,  47 

Appearance  of  one  school-room,  80 

Appearance,  personal,  of  teacher, 
21,78 

Appreciation  from  parents,  17 

Appreciation  from  pupils,  15 

Appreciation,  occasional,  17 

Articulation,  170 

Associate  teachers,  relation  to,  65 

Athletics,  251 

Atmosphere,  79 

Attitude  in  September,  272 

Attitude  of  pupils  in  recitation,  144 

Attitude  of  teacher  in  discipline, 
141,  142 

Attitude  of  teacher  toward  condi- 
tions, 235 

Attitude,  suspicious,  138 

Avocation,  value  of,  35 

Ayers,  Leonard  P.,  259 

Books  of  a  teacher,  13 
Brighain,  Louise,  242 

Children,  interests  common  with, 

101 
Children,  sensitiveness  of,  99 
Children,  two  ways  of  treating,  90 
Children,  view  point  of,  100 
Cleveland  schools,  244 
Clothes,  care  of,  25 
Clothes,  character  of,  22 
Clothes,  description  of  some,  23 
Clothes  in  school,  50 
Clothes  of  the  man,  25 
Clothes  outside  of  the  school,  34 
Commercial  high  schools,  240 
Club  life,  37 
College  degrees,  40 
Conditions,  acceptance  of  existing, 

27 


Conditions,  attitude  toward,  235 
Confusion,  the  remedy,  88 
Correcting  examinations,  3  91,  11)4 
Correcting  papers,  177 
Credit  side,  other  grades,  U77 
Criticism  from  others,  30 
Criticism,  self,  29,  124 

Decoration  of  school-rooms,  49 
Detroit,  255,  256,  258 
Development  of  school  system,  224 
Devotion  to  work,  extreme,  10,  33 
Dignity,  48 

Discipline,  attitude  toward,  142 
Discipline,  definition  of,  111 
Discipline,  ease  in,  123 
Discipline,  ephemeral  in,  136 
Discipline,  importance  of,  112 
Discipline,  importance  of  obedience 

in,  117 
Discipline,  optimism  in,  138 
Discipline,  standards  of,  113 
Discipline,  sulking  in,  135 
Discipline,  value  of  time  in,  134 
Discipline,  variety  of  standards,  116 
Drill  importance  of,  148 

Encouragement,  156,  275 
Equipment,  productiveness  of,  2:: 7 
Evening  schools,  subjects  taught 

in,  249 
Examinations,  confusion  during,  190 
Examinations,  character  of  ques- 
tions for,  183 
Examinations,  excusing  from,  181 
Examinations,  expecting  too  much 

in,  184 
Examinations,  form  of  questions 

for,  186 
Examinations,  frequency  of,  180 
Examinations,  good  form  in,  188 
Examinations,  integrity  in,  194,  208 


283 


284 


INDEX 


Examinations,  judging  length  of 

questions  for,  185 
Examinations,  need  for,  180 
Examinations,  order  of  questions  for. 

186 

Examinations,  physical  comfort  in, 

187 
Examinations,  promptness  in.  187 
Examinations,  stating  questions  for, 

184 
Exercise  for  teacher,  43 
Experienced  teachers,  attitude  of,  58 
Eye,  the  blind,  99 

Fads,  228 

Foreign  students,  249,  257 

Friday  night,  10 

Friendship  with  children,  54  ■ 

Goddard,  Dr.,  265 
Grand  Rapids,  255 
Gratitude,  occasional,  17 

Haden,  Seymour,  36 
Health,  importance  of,  43 
Hewlett,  Maurice,  36 
Home  in  relation  to  school,  69 
Honesty,  double  standard  of,  108 
Honesty  toward  teachers,  108 
Honesty  with  tact,  108 
Honor  System,  209 
Hours  for  a  teacher,  11 
Humiliation,  save  from,  104 

Ideal  attitude,  55 

Ideals  and  organization,  214 

Ideals  of  integrity,  211 

Illogical  punishment,  127 

Illogical,  time  to  be,  129 

Incentive  to  work,  83 

Independence,  31 

Individualism,  238,  241 

Influence  of  individual,  18,  91,  93, 
101 

Integrity,  importance  of,  196 

Integrity,  public  sentiment  concern- 
ing, 196 

Integrity,  school  standards  of,  199 

Intellectual  life,  12 


Interviews,  personal,  with  parents, 

72 
Irritability,  87 
Issues,  avoiding,  99 
Issues,  meeting  great,  89 

Jealousy,  65 
Jewelry,  24 
Judgment,  quick,  98 
Justice,  52 

Kindergarten,  activity  interest  in, 

240 
Kindergarten,  artificial  attitude  in, 

47 
Kindergarten,  spirit  of,  239 
Kindness,  97 

King  Arthur,  court  of,  214,  217 
Kipling,  118 

Laissez  faire,  102 
Leaving  school  early,  233 
Liberty  and  license,  125 
Life  of  teacher,  artistic,  13 
Life  of  teacher,  intellectual,  12 
Life  of  teacher,  social,1 13 
Logical  punishment,  127 
Loyalty  to  associates,  59 

Manner  in  recitation,  160 

Manners,  51 

Manual  training,  241,  243 

Marking  examinations,  191 

Marking  key,  193 

Marking  recitations,  171 

Mental  repose,  156 

Mercy,  53 

Methods,  college,  178 

Mid-winter  state,  273 

Mistakes,  value  of,  102 

Mitchell,  S.  Weir,  36 

Monotony  in  recitation,  151 

Monotony,  moral  effect  of,  202 

Montessori  system,  231 

Nagging,  139 
Names,  learning,  28 
Narrowness,  danger  of,  32 
Naturalness,  46,  81 


INDEX 


285 


Newspapers,  42 
Note  books,  177 
Notes  to  parents,  69,  70 

Obedience,  117 

Obligation,  66 

Open-air  classes,  261 

Open-air  schools,  258 

Open-air  schools  in  England,  259 

Opportunity,  66 

Opposition  to  medical  inspection,  252 

Optimism,  138 

Oral  school  for  deaf,  255 

Organization  of  school,  165 

Papers,  correcting  daily,  175 
Papers,  marking  examination,  191 
Parents,  acquaintance  with.  37 
Parents,  appreciation  from,  17 
Parents,  opportunities  of  meeting,  75 
Parents,  visits  from,  73 
Pay,  11,  18 

Pedagogical  dignity,  48 
Personal  influence,  54 
Personal  interviews  with  parents,  72 
Personal  notes,  69 
Personal  qualities,  carriage,  26 
Personal  qualities,  manners,  51 
Personal  talks,  221 
Personal  touch  in  reports,  68 
Personality  an  incentive  to  work,  83 
Personality,  difference  in,  78 
Personality,  dominance  of  right,  83 
Personality,  externals  showing,  78 
Personality,  keeping  to  own,  85 
Personality,  poise  an  element  of,  87 
Personality,  power  of,  77 
Personality,  requisites  for  right,  94 
Personality  shown  in  meeting  issues, 

89 
Personality  shown  in  one  school- 
room, 80 
Personality  shown  in  surroundings, 

78 
Personality  shown  in  voice,  26 
Personality,  ultimate  value  of,  91 
Physical  care,  251 
Physical  comfort  in  examinations, 
187 


Play-grounds,  248 

Poise,  87 

Policy  distinguished  from  tact,  110 

Principal,  relations  to,  58 

Public  sentiment,  effect  of,  198 

Public  sentiment  toward  integrity, 

196 
Punctuality  in  examinations,  187 
Punctuality  to  recitations.  168 
Punishment,  avoid  monotony  in,  133 
Punishment,  illogical.  129 
Punishment,  logical,  127 
Punishment,  purpose  of,  126 
Punishment,  severity  in,  127 
Punishment,  unexpected  in,  130 
Pupils,  appreciation  from.  15 
Pupils,  attitude  in  recitation,  144 

"Queed,"  story  from,  197 

Reading,  arousing  interest  in,  160 
Reading  for  recreation,  40 
Reading  newspapers.  42 
Reading  with  a  purpose,  41 
Recitation,  articulation,  170 
Recitation,  attention  during,  158 
Recitation,  attitude  of  pupils,  144 
Recitation,  college  methods  in,  17* 
Recitation,  correcting  papers  from, 

175 
Recitation,  encouragement  in,  156 
Recitation,  following  the  child  in, 

154 
Recitation,  good  English  in,  170 
Recitation,  importance  of  drill  in, 

148 
Recitation,  interest  in,  158 
Recitation,  laying  out  new  work  in, 

174 
Recitation,  manner  in,  160 
Recitation,  marking,  171 
Recitation,  mental  repose  in,  156 
Recitation,  method  of  calling  upon 

pupils  in,  169 
Recitation,  monotony  in.  151 
Recitation,  personal  bond  in,  163 
Recitation,  position  in,  168 
Recitation,  preparation  of  teacher 

for,  146 


286 


INDEX 


Recitation,  punctuality  to,  168 
Recitation,  purpose  of,  144 
Recitation,  resourcefulness  In,  152 
Recitation,  responsibility  of  teacher 

for,  145 
Recitation,  simplifying,  147 
Recitation,  time  to  assign  lesson  in, 

173 
Recitation,  the  rounded,  162 
Recitation,  voice  in,  160 
Relation,  official,  61 
Relation  to  associate  teachers,  65 
Relation  to  principal,  58 
Relation  to  school  boards,  56 
Relation  to  superintendent,  58 
Repetition  in  teaching,  149 
Reports,  formal,  68 
Reports,  personal  touch  in,  68 
Resourcefulness  in  recitation,  152 
Responsibility,  6 
Room  chart,  28 
Rules,  140 
Russell  Sage  Foundation,  259 

School  and  life,  238 
School  Boards,  relation  to,  56 
School  in  relation  to  home,  69,  75 
School  standard  of  honesty,  199 

201.  203,  208 
School  room,  appearance  of,  49 
School  room,  order  in,  49 
Self-consciousness,  47 
Self-examination,  124 
Sensitiveness  of  children,  99 
September  attitude,  272 
Severity  in  punishment,  127 
Simplicity  in  recitation,  147 
Social  centers,  250 
Social  conditions,  change  in,  234 
Social  position,  13 
Special  schools,  dangers  of,  269 
Special  schools,  effect  of,  268 
Special  schools  for  feeble-minded, 

264 
Special  schools,  for  crippled,  256 
Special  schools,  for  foreigners,  257 
Special  schools,  for  stammerers,  258 
Special  schools,  general  effect  of,  268 
Special  schools,  open-air,  258 


Special  schools,  oral  for  deaf,  255 

Special  schools,  parental,  263 

Special  schools,  truant,  261 

Special  schools,  ungraded,  261 

Spelling-match,  105 

Standards,  double,  200 

Standards  in  discipline,  113 

Standards  of  integrity  in  examina- 
tions, 208 

Standards  of  integrity  in  recitation, 
200 

Standards  of  integrity  in  school,  199 

Standards,  modified  school,  228 

Standards,  variety  in,  116 

Strain  of  work,  14 

Student,  teacher  always  a,  39 

Study,  39 

Studying  together,  150 

Subtlety  of  tact,  106 

Sulking,  135 

Summer  schools,  247 

Superintendent,  relations  to,  58 

Superintendent,  the  unsatisfactory, 
63 

Surroundings,  as  affected  by  person- 
ality, 78 

Suspicious  attitude,  138 

Sympathy,  97 

System,  development  of  school,  224 

System,  complacency  with,  226 

System,  Montessori,  231 

System,  present  unrest,  227 

Tact  and  policy,  110 

Tact  and  policy,  comparisons,  95 

Tact,  cultivation  of,  109 

Tact,  examples  of,  89-91,  106, 107, 

108,  109 
Tact,  kindness  element  of,  97 
Tact,  subtlety  of,  106 
Tact,  sympathy,  97 
Talking  things  over,  60 
Talks,  effect  of  moral,  219 
Talks,  formal,  219 
Talks,  personal,  221 
Teacher  a  judge,  52 
Teacher,  personal  appearance  of,  21 

H.  S.,  246 
Teachers,  choice  of  in  Technical 


INDEX 


287 


Teacher,  trying  out  a,  20 
Teaching  a  stepping  stone,  7 
Teaching  for  men,  7 
Teaching  for  women,  9 
Teaching,  hours  of,  11 
Teaching,  interest  in,  10 
Teaching,  pay,  11 
Teaching,  pride  in,  44 
Teaching,  strain  of,  14 
Teasing,  120 

Technical  High  Schools,  244 
Technical  High  Schools,  effect  on 

attendance,  246 
Technical  High  Schools,  segregation 

in,  247 
Telephone,  use  of,  71 
Test  questions  for  teacher,  279 
Thinking  as  teacher  directs,  154 


Time,  economy  of,  230 
Time  to  assign  lesson,  17.'; 
Time  value  in  tact,  104 
Trial  balance,  liT'.t 

Unexpected,  power  of.  130 
Unrest,  educational,  liliT 
Unrest  in  school,  88 
Unrest,  remedy  for,  227 
Vineland  school  for  feeble-minded, 

265 
Visits,  effect  upon  teacher,  1T> 
Visits  from  parents,  73 
Voice  in  recitation,  160 
Voice,  monotony  in,  134 

Washington  his  hero,  212 
Ways  of  treating  children,  96 


TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION 

Chapter  I 

WHY  DOES  ONE  TEACH? 

Analyze  and  formulate  the  reasons  that  led  you  person- 
ally to  become  a  teacher. 

Compare  teaching  for  a  woman  with  other  activities  open 
to  her. 

Do  the  same  for  the  man. 

Discuss  in  detail  intellectual,  social,  and  artistic  advan- 
tages that  teaching  make  possible. 

Importance  of  interest  in  work.     How  manifested? 

What  demands  does  teaching  make  upon  the  individual? 

How  does  the  difference  between  the  exceptional  teacher 
and  the  ordinary  one  manifest  itself? 

Discuss  the  returns  of  successful  teaching. 

Is  teaching  the  right  profession  for  you  ? 

Chapter  II 
THE  FIE  ST  DAY 

How  does  a  school  try  out  a  new  teacher? 
Importance  of  personal  appearance  as  affected  by  care 
of  the  body,  clothes,  manner,  voice,  etc. 

Attitude  toward  school  and  its  present  organization. 
Importance  of  self-criticism. 

1 


2  THE  TEACHER 

Value  of  criticism  from  teachers  of  experience.     What 
help  have  you  had  from  such  criticism  ? 
Free  discussion  of  first  day  experiences. 


Chapter  III 

LIFE  OUTSIDE  OF  SCHOOL 

Why  does  teaching  tend  to  narrowness? 
Personal  experience  of  way  time  outside  of  school  is  spent. 
Health  and  ways  of  preserving  it. 

What  success  have  you  had  in  making  acquaintance  with 
parents  ? 

How  can  that  acquaintance  be  widened? 

Character  of  reading  desirable. 

The  teacher  as  a  student. 

Public  attitude  toward  the  profession. 

Chapter  IV 
EELATION  TO  PUPILS 

Contrast  naturalness  and  affectation. 

What  constitutes  dignity  in  a  teacher? 

Describe  your  own  school-room.  How  might  its  appear- 
ance be  consistently  improved? 

Specify  some  of  the  things  that  must  be  watched  in  order 
to  secure  a  neat,  orderly  appearance  of  room. 

Standard  for  both  teacher  and  pupil  for  clothes  and  man- 
ners. 

Justice  and  mercy.  Your  experience  as  a  pupil  as  wefl 
as  a  teacher  in  connection  with  these  qualities. 

Danger  in  too  much  dependence  upon  personal  influence. 


TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION  3 

Friendships  between  teacher  and  pupil.  Dangers  and 
advantages  in  such  friendships. 

What  ideals  have  you  set  for  yourself  in  your  relations 
to  your  pupils? 

Chapter  V 
RELATION  TO  ASSOCIATES 

Authority  of  school  boards.  Attitude  of  teacher  toward 
the  board. 

In  what  ways  may  teachers  show  their  loyalty  to  superin- 
tendents and  principals? 

What  are  some  of  the  seeming  trifles  that  result  in  unin- 
tentional disloyalty? 

Difference  between  official  and  personal  relation. 

Attitude  toward  an  unsatisfactory  superior.  What  are 
the  alternatives? 

Harmony  in  life  with  associates. 

What  are  some  of  the  causes  of  jealousy  and  how  may 
they  be  avoided? 

Discuss  the  opportunities  for  general  helpfulness  outside 
your  prescribed  work. 

Chapter  VI 
EEL  AT  ION  TO  PARENTS 

The  personal  touch  to  formal  reports  and  its  value. 

What  possibilities  of  reaching  parents  in  a  personal  way 
are  within  your  reach  ? 

Dealing  with  an  angry  parent. 

Relate  experiences  with  visits  from  parents. 

What  effect  have  such  visits  had  upon  you  and  your 
work? 


4  THE  TEACHER 

Formulate  your  individual  opportunities  for  public  exer- 
cises that  shall  bring  the  parents  to  school. 

Chapter  VII 
PERSONALITY  AND  POISE 

Give  illustrations  out  of  your  own  experience  of  the 
power  of  personality. 

In  a  similar  way,  illustrate  the  difference  that  exists  in 
different  personalities. 

How  does  personality  show  itself  in  appearance  and  sur- 
roundings ? 

Effect  of  a  good,  strong  personality  upon  a  school. 

Importance  of  holding  true  to  your  own  personality. 

Discuss  some  of  the  emergencies  that  arise  in  a  school 
which  demand  poise. 

General  attitude  of  a  good  teacher  toward  great  issues. 

Wide-reaching  effect  of  strong  personality. 

Describe  individuals  you  have  known  who  possessed 
strong  personality. 

To  what  extent  may  personality  be  modified  and  poise 
acquired?    How  may  it  be  done? 

Chapter   VIII 

TACT 

Define  tact  and  give  examples,  so  far  as  possible,  out  of 
your  own  experience,  of  the  value  of  tact. 

What  are  some  of  the  qualities  of  a  tactful  teacher? 
Cite  cases  from  every-day  experience  for  the  use  of  tact. 
How  may  unpleasant  issues  be  avoided  through  tact  ? 


TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION  5 

Opportunities  for  a  tactful  teacher  to  come  into  closi 
personal  relations  with  her  pupils. 
May  one  be  both  tactful  and  honest  ? 
Difference  between  tact  and  policy. 

Chapter  IX 
DISCIPLINE 

Importance  of  discipline  in  obtaining  good  results  in 
regular  work. 

Let  each  teacher,  from  a  study  of  her  own  personality, 
decide  what  standard  of  discipline  is  best  for  her  to  try  to 
maintain. 

The  modern  attitude  toward  obedience. 

Value  of  habit  of  prompt  obedience. 

How  much  ought  the  school  to  demand  in  the  matter  of 
obedience  ? 

Attitude  toward  teasing. 

How  is  ease  in  discipline  attained  ? 

Value  of  self-criticism. 

Chapter  X 
DISCIPLINE   SPECIFICALLY  CON  SIDE  BED 

Difference  between  liberty  and  license. 
What  is  accomplished  through  punishment? 
Various  expedients  to  be  used  in  punishment  and  methods 
to  be  avoided. 

Taking  right   motives   and  right  action   of  pupils   for 

granted. 

Time  as  a  curative  measure. 

Nagging :  various  ways  of  nagging  and  conditions  that 
lead  to  forming  the  habit. 


6  THE  TEACHER 

Desirability  of  formal  rules.  Test  your  ideas  by  your 
own  experience. 

Formulate  what  seems  to  you  the  right  attitude  of  a 
teacher  toward  discipline. 

Chapter  XI 
THE  SPIEIT  OF  THE  RECITATION 

Does  the  conventional  recitation  yield  the  results  ex- 
pected?   In  what  particulars  does  it  fail? 

Contrast  the  usual  attitude  of  the  pupil  toward  the 
teacher  with  the  ideal  attitude. 

What  should  the  teacher  get  from  a  well-conducted  reci- 
tation, to  the  advantage  of  future  work? 

Preparation  of  teacher  for  daily  recitation. 

Simplifying  work. 

The  importance  of  drill  cannot  be  too  strongly  empha- 
sized. Bring  out  some  of  the  points  in  specific  studies  that 
require  intensive  drill. 

Advantages  and  disadvantages  of  allowing  pupils  to 
study  together. 

Ways  of  putting  life  into  the  recitation. 

Outline  an  ideal  recitation  with  reference  to  division  of 
time  and  of  bringing  it  to  a  rounded  close. 

Personal  sympathy  between  teacher  and  pupil. 

Chapter  XII 
SOME  TECHNICALITIES  OF  THE  BE  CITATION 

Formalities  to  be  observed  as  to  position,  voice,  etc. 
How  much  stress  may  be  laid  upon  good  English  with- 
out taking  too  much  time  from  the  main  subject? 


TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION  7 

Various  methods  of  marking  standings.  Marking  in 
class. 

Assigning  new  lessons.  Extent  to  which  new  work  should 
be  developed. 

Value  of  written  work  to  be  done  outside  of  class.  Danger 
of  too  much  such  work. 

Different  ways  of  correcting  papers. 

Proper  value  to  be  attached  to  note  books. 

What  are  the  dangers  in  using  college  methods  in  sec- 
ondary schools? 

Chapter  XIII 
EXAMINATIONS 

Importance  of  examinations.     Effect  upon  pupils. 

Make  out  a  model  set  of  questions  and  test  them  with 
reference  to  general  character,  length,  and  sequence. 

What  would  you  be  especially  particular  about  in  con- 
ducting an  examination? 

How  much  stress  would  you  put  upon  appearance  of 
paper  and  its  English? 

Various  plans  for  marking  papers ;  percent,  letters,  etc. 

Do  pupils,  as  a  class,  do  honest  work  in  examinations? 
If  not,  how  would  you  correct  the  fault  ? 

The  honor  system  as  applied  to  examinations. 

Chapter  XIV 
INTEGRITY 

Public  sentiment  toward  strict  moral  standards. 
Cite  instances  of  the  effect  of  existing  sentiment  upon 
young  people. 


8  THE  TEACHER 

What  is  your  experience  in  school,  both  as  pupil  and  as 
teacher,  as  to  school  standards  of  honesty  ? 

Causes  for  one  standard  of  honesty  toward  teachers  and 
another  toward  schoolmates. 

How  does  the  double  standard  defeat  much  of  the  best 
work  of  a  teacher,  especially  in  recitation  ? 

Suggest  remedy  for  existing  evils. 

Respect  of  property  rights  of  others. 

Is  the  honor  system,  pure  and  simple,  possible  or  desirable 
in  the  general  conduct  of  a  school? 

Importance  of  high  ideal. 

Progression  in  ideals  of  children. 

Biography  of  high  and  noble  characters  in  establishing 
ideals. 

Make  list  of  such  characters. 

Tendency  to  organization  helpful  in  sustaining  ideals. 

Dangers  in  such  organizations. 

How  much  responsibility  belongs  to  teachers  and  how 
much  to  parents  in  such  organizations  ? 

School  fraternities. 

Has  the  public  put  too  much  responsibility  for  these  fra- 
ternities upon  the  schools? 

Formal  talks  for  moral  training. 

Write  out  a  list  of  topics  desirable  for  such  talks. 

Personal  talks  with  pupils. 

BIBLIOGBAPHY 

Ethics  for  Children.     Ella  Lyman  Cabot.      (Houghton-Mifflin  Company.) 

Character  Lessons  in  American  Biography.  The  Character  Development 
League,  Success  Building,  New  York  City.      (Sent  free.) 

Moral  Principles  in  Education.  Dewey.  Riverside  Educational  Mono- 
graphs.     (Houghton-Mifflin   Company.) 

Ethical  and  Moral  Instruction  in  Schools.  Palmer.  (Riverside  Edu- 
cational Monographs.) 


TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION  9 


Chapter  XV 
SCHOOL  WASTE 

Our  school  system  the  outgrowth  of  industrial  and  social 
conditions  of  pioneer  days. 

In  what  particular  does  it  fall  short  of  present  indus- 
trial, commercial,  and  social  needs? 

What  has  been  accomplished  through  so-called  fads? 

Who  should  go  to  college? 

Suggestions  for  economizing  time  in  school  through 
omission  of  certain  work  now  in  the  curriculum. 

Outline  a  course  in  arithmetic,  omitting  non-essentials. 

The  Montessori  method. 

How  may  the  needs  of  those  who  are  compelled  to  leave 
school  early  be  better  met? 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

The  Montessori  Method;  scientific  pedagogy  as  applied  to  child  educa- 
tion in  "The  children's  houses."  Marie  Montessori.  Translated  from 
the  Italian  by  Anna  E.  George.     Frederick  A.   Stokes  Company.     1912. 

Disciplining  Children.  M.  Montessori.  McClure's  Magazine.  May, 
1912. 

First  Montessori  School  in  America.  A.  E.  George.  McClure's,  June, 
1912. 

Montessori  Apparatus.     J.   Tozier.     McClure's,   January,   1912. 

An  Educational  Wonder-Worker:  The  Methods  of  Marie  Montessori. 
Josephine  Tozier.     McClure's,  May,   1911. 

Chapter  XVI 
ELIMINATING    SCHOOL    WASTE 

Ways  of  making  your  particular  school  plant  more 
effective,  through  social  centers,  club  work,  and  other 
meetings. 


10  THE  TEACHER 

Discuss  the  desirability  of  a  lengthened  school  day. 

Compare  length  of  our  school  day  with  that  of  the 
Germans.     Can  we  justify  our  shorter  session? 

Is  a  four  term  year  of  twelve  weeks  to  the  term  desirable 
in  our  common  schools? 

Attention  to  physical  needs  of  children  through  medical 
inspection,  care  of  teeth,  examination  of  eyes,  etc. 

How  does  this  add  to  the  efficiency  of  the  pupil? 

How  important  is  manual  training?  Is  there  danger 
of  its  encroaching  too  much  upon  legitimate  studies? 

Special  manual  training  and  commercial  schools.  Is 
segregation  desirable  or  is  the  work  more  effective  when  car- 
ried along  with  regular  work  ? 

BIBLIOGBAPHY 

Health  and  Medical  Inspection  of  School  Children.  Walter  S.  Cornell, 
M.  D.     F.  A.  Davis,  Philadelphia.     1912. 

Medical  Inspection  of  Schools.  Gulick  and  Ayres.  New  York  Charities 
Publication   Committee. 

Chapter  XVII 
SPECIAL  SCHOOLS 

What  special  schools  have  already  been  added  to  the  pub- 
lic school  system? 

Describe  the  work  of  any  that  you  know  about  per- 
sonally. 

Discuss  the  gain  to  normal  children  by  this  elimination 
of  special  cases  from  the  regular  grades. 

Value  of  ungraded  schools. 

Too  great  importance  cannot  be  attached  to  the  work 
now  being  done  with  the  feeble-minded.  This  should  be 
made  a  subject  of  special  study  and  discussion. 


TOPICS  FOR  DISCUSSION  11 

What  are  the  dangers  of  special  schools? 

Reports  of  the  Superintendents  of  City  schools  in  Detroit 
and  Grand  Rapids,  Michigan,  give  an  excellent  idea  of  what 
is  being  done  through  special  schools. 


Chapter  XVIII 
A  BALANCE  SHEET 

Recall  in  detail  the  manifestations  of  hopeful  attitude  in 
September,  both  of  yourself  and  of  your  pupils. 

Causes  that  lead  to  the  mid-winter  condition  of  mind. 
Ways  of  counteracting  that  condition. 

Cite  special  cases  where,  through  your  own  wise  attitude, 
you  have  helped  individuals  to  a  decided  gain  through  the 
vear. 

Where  have  you  failed  to  accomplish  what  you  had 
hoped? 

Test  your  school  and  yourself  by  the  questions  in  "The 
Trial  Balance,"  page  279. 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN  INITIAL  FINE  OF  25  CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  50  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.00  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


sEP     7     1*"- 


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JAN  14  1950 


LD  21-95rn-7,'37 


ID    WtLdJ 


267336 


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